Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 August 2012 Exodus 20:3

10 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

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

Exodus 20:3    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Oh Friends, it’s Friday, the day when we all shout ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ because we’re headed for the weekend and a couple days off work. But yuh know the loudest thanks for today being Friday is going to be in J.A, where Usain Bolt won the 200 metres gold medal again! And not only that, Jamaicans also won the silver and bronze medals in that race. So Jamrock must be in a mess of celebrations now. But as I keep saying, please be careful to mind your business whether you’re drunk or sober, because it’s in those times of celebration that we’re most susceptible to the wiles and lies of Lucifer. So party on J.A. but be on your p’s and q’s for the enemy’s looking for any foothold he can get. And before we go further, let me share a quote from a kaiso by Shadow that I heard the other day that shows true wisdom and Christianity. I don’t know the song, but Shadow truthfully sings in it: ‘Everybody is a somebody. Nobody is a nobody.’ And Friends, that’s exactly the way Jesus looks at all of us! Whether we’re rich or poor, educated or not, sick or healthy; to Jesus we’re all somebodies. Please remember that and let’s act like it. And even more importantly, let’s treat others the same way, regardless of whether they’re considered the dregs of society or not, they’ve all been made in God’s great and LOVING image and deserve to be treated as such. Now let’s chant our Friday Chant with great enthusiasm, in loud voice and sincere hearts. 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.’ And now that we’ve reigned in some of our exuberance (smile) and set the parameters for the weekend, let’s look at our Bit: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ And we all know that if we’re to have a successful walk with Jesus that’s the number one rule. But I also hope that through reading it so often these last few days that it has been renewed in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, and we’ve truly realized that our Creator MUST ALWAYS TAKE FIRST PLACE IN OUR LIVES! There are absolutely no ifs and buts about that. And if you want to play the devil’s advocate and ask why, the answer’s very simple: Because we belong to Him. Hn! He created us, controls our lives, LOVES us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die for us, and wants us to LOVE Him too. There couldn’t be any better reasons than those my people. And wonder of wonders, as I’m writing this, I’m actually hearing the rain fall outside. It fell for a good part of yesterday, but mostly as a drizzle. Anyway, turning to the scriptures, listen to Bruh Paul’s take on the subject, where he concludes that there is none righteous. And he shows his vast knowledge of the Old Testament by extracting appropriate bits and putting them together as one. ‘As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre (grave); with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.’ (Rom.3:10-18) Now here’s a quick brief from the scholars: ‘Paul quotes scriptures to prove universal guilt. Scripture, not Paul, is the judge. See Psalm 5:9, 10:7, 14:1-3, 140:3; Isaiah 59:7,8).’ That’s the different places the foregoing scripture came from. And Friends, if you think that that was a damning situation in Bruh Paul’s time, believe me, it’s even worse in ours, for God has been legislated out of, relegated to the lowest rungs, and almost totally removed from our society. But fortunately, where there’s a warm body, there’s hope, and we have enough warm bodies rooting for Jesus that we can make a difference. But my people, all I can do is encourage us to follow and obey Almighty God. Each individual still has to make that decision seriously, and then diligently pursue it. And to try and solidify my case, I’ll leave us with the definitive word on the subject by our Lord, Saviour, Master, Leader, Brother and Friend, Jesus. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) Yes Friends, that’s gospel truth! If we seek God first in all we do, then all the things we need will be granted us. The Lord’s promised that, and we all know He faithfully keeps His promises. So please, lets get our act together and start making things happen nuh. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Much LOVE!…in God’s Book…obedience brings prosperity…disobedience brings destruction…it’s as simple as that…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 June 2012 2 Chronicles 32:7

12 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

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

2 Chronicles 32:7.    Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him.
 
Oh Friends, it’s another new day with new mercies, blessings and also problems. But what we need to fully realize is that problems don’t last forever. We either solve them with God’s help, or they just fritter away through God’s largesse and mercy. The problem though is, (smile) we need a general way in which to handle these problems when they crop up. And a good way to help us do just that is in this Mountain Mover’s Prayer by Dr. Robert Schuller. We’ve shared it before, but like all things which can help us walk the straight and narrow, it’s worth repeating, especially in these times when our world is in such a topsy-turvy, frenzied state. So here goes: ‘Lord, when I face a mountain, do not let me quit. Give me the strength to keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, or tunnel underneath. And if my best efforts fail, give me the patience to stay, and the perception to see the possibilities of turning my mountain into a gold mine with your help. Amen.’ There’s the problem-solving attitude we need my people! And in conjunction with our Bit, how can the enemy beat us down eh? ‘Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him.’ Yes Friends, it’s time, or rather it’s imperative that now, when the last days are possibly nigh, that God’s people stand up strong and courageous, faithfully relying on His promises, promises that were all faithfully fulfilled in times past, and will be once again, if and when we rise up as one, one voice, one body, one church of Christ and look to the infallible Jehovah God to help us and fight our battles rather than to fallible, deceitful man. And to prove my point, here’s an example of our God fighting Israel’s battles. Yesterday it was against the Assyrians and their king Sennacherib in the time of King Hezekiah’s reign. Today it’s when Moab came to war against Israel in the time of King Jehoshaphat. When the king heard the news of the approaching army, what was his first act? He prayed for deliverance. ‘And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself (his face) to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.’ (2 Chr.20:3) Oh Friends, seeking our God should always be our first act in all things, especially times of trouble, and not the last, as so many of us do. And all Judah came together to hear the king pray to the Lord and add their pleas too. (2 Chr.20:4-13) Then, as our Lord so often does in such cases, He sent His Spirit upon one Jahaziel, right there in the middle of the gathering. ‘And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff (ascent) of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook (wadi or stream bed) before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set (position) yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them; for the Lord will be with you.’ (2 Chr.20:15-17) Ah mih people, our God is such a good and great God! He hears and answers when we cry out to Him with clean hearts and right motives! And please note Judah’s reaction to this awesome promise of their God. ‘And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.’ (2 Chr. 20: 18-19) Oh mih breddren, that’s the way we need to praise and worship Almighty God today for all the mercies and blessings which He bestows on us every single day. They might not be as big and awesome as fighting a physical battle for us, but without His help we’d be unable to do much of anything. Now here’s the miraculous ending: ‘And they rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah, and they were smitten (defeated)’ (2 Chr.20:20-22) Yes Friends, those supposed invaders ended up fighting amongst themselves and destroyed each other. So that when Judah came upon the battlefield, all they saw were dead bodies. None had escaped. And here’s the crowning glory; the spoil from the battle was so much that it took Judah three days to gather it all. And who says our God isn’t a wonderful and upright God eh! Oh my people, just like Judah back then, we in our own troubled times, need to faithfully and diligently walk with the Lord, praise and worship Him because that is our duty, and when we do our duty, He prospers us and keeps us safe from harm. The message is still the same today, as it was way back then. So let’s do what we ought to nuh; be strong, courageous and not fear, for then are we truly invincible and sure conquerors. Much LOVE!…what does the Lord desire of us…praise, thanks, worship, glory, courage and strong faith…