08 Feb 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: anointed one, bacchanal, blessed coming in, blessed going out, Carnival Friday, christianity, drunk or sober, fellowship, french west indies, Friday chant, God's sustaining power, Love of Jesus, mind yuh business, morning rush hour, New Orleans, religion, rest-relaxation, Rio, rush hour, snow storm, song of praise, spirituality, straight and narrow path, TGIF!, Trinidad & Tobago, weather forecasters, wonderful promises
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…
01 Feb 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: corruption, current-events, deprive the needy, energy, enthusiasm. thankful hearts, fellowship, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, gratefulness, gun-lobby, heartfelt affection, human-rights, joyous shouts, lobbying, pevert justice, poison, politics, prey on widows, refeshed soul, relaxation, rob the fatherless, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thankfulness, unrighteous decrees, Woe to the wicked
Isaiah 10:1. Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness (misfortune) which they have prescribed.
Oh Friends, Friday has come around once again, with the pleasant anticipation of rest from our weekly labour. Please note though, that it is also the first day of February, meaning that the days are passing quickly, so please don’t put off stuff for later. And as the joyous shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ resonate in the atmosphere, sighs of gratefulness and thankfulness also emanate from the many hearts affected by the situation. And since there’s no better means of saying thanks and giving praise to our wonderful Creator than by offering heartfelt affection in song, let’s chant our Friday Chant with all the energy and enthusiasm that’s filled our thankful hearts to bursting. Let’s open the floodgates of our hearts and send the contents swiftly and sweetly up to heaven. As one harmonious 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.’ Yeh mih people, that was marvellous! Heaven felt its sincerity. But as we come back down to Mother Earth and her hard scrabbled life, we encounter too many situations as described by our Bit. ‘Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness (misfortune) which they have prescribed.’ Oh Friends, that’s calling down judgement and justice on the administrators who pervert God’s justice. Those who have abused their power and authority. As Isaiah further describes it: ‘To turn aside (deprive) the needy from judgement (of justice), and to take away the right (what is right) from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!’ (Is.10:2) And sadly we all know that in the halls of government and industry today, the righteous administrator is more the exception than the rule. It’s amazing how everyday we read or watch the news we see some new, unexpected angle of corruption raising its ugly head to further defame our governments and captains of industry. Oh by the way, corruption is also rampant in the church too, so don’t think it’s all righteousness in Christ’s body, for in far too many cases the church leaders also have their own agendas to look after. It seems as though no transaction or administrative procedure can take place without bribery or some other unjust activity also involved. Hear how Bruh David describes the transgressors in Psalm 58 – the denunciation of the wicked. ‘Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation (ye silent ones)? Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder (cobra) that stoppeth her ear. Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely (ever so skilfully).’ (Ps.58:1-5) Oh my brethren, what an appropriate description of our leaders and rulers today eh! And possibly the biggest and most invasive form of modern day corruption is the legal activity termed lobbying. Hn! That’s because it’s out and out bribery, however you try to legally justify and classify it! One group pays another group to influence those in power, to make laws and decisions that are in their favour. Meanwhile the poor man doesn’t have that kind of leverage, neither monetary power nor influential clout to do the same. So the scales of justice are immediately biased in the favour of the rich and powerful. No wonder the corrupt, mickey-mouse, greedy politicians and administrators, in all levels of government are lining their pockets and making pronouncements that favour the already well-heeled upper class. Right now the gun lobby is the best example of that. The recent spate of gun violence in North America calls undeniably for stronger gun control laws. But the big guns, speaking both literally and figuratively, are spending billions of dollars to fight the wishes of the people, the ones who are suffering mightily from the gun crimes. And don’t fool yuh fat, many of the representatives in Washington are going to bow to the evil perpetrators of lax gun rules, because they will be afraid for their plush jobs, knowing that the gun lobby will work tirelessly to unseat them in the next election, if they don’t stand with them now. But hopefully Friends, there will be enough people with righteous consciences and strength of purpose to defeat the wicked on that score. Enough for today though. We’ll continue this interesting but unpleasant topic tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, please ponder the untenable corruption so rampant in all walks of our lives, and see if there is anyway that you can make a difference, regardless of how small, cause it’s only when we all get together and fight in unity, do whatever we can, that good results are had. Much LOVE!…the wicked shall not prosper for long…in the world of a righteous God…that’s a proven fact…
25 Jan 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: be glad, fellowship, fun, furthering God's kingdom, glitzy facade, God's glory, God's righteouness, joyful shouts, losers, LOVE Revolution, loving kindness, praise and thanks, psalm 67, rejoice, renewed and refreshed, rest, Selah, sing for joy, spirituality, sweet voices, TGIF!, Thank God it's Friday, the Lord reigns, United body of Christ, who is the boss
Psalm 67:4. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth. Selah.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! And all the joyous shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ surround and envelop me like a warm cloak. Even in my somewhat muted way, I too can utter thanks because I’m on the mend. I’m not out of the woods yet, but I’m getting there, slowly but surely. And that’s the important thing. So let’s all give thanks and praise to our Creator and Provider for just being alive this Friday morning in January 2013, by chanting our Friday Chant. Let’s let Him know, in no uncertain terms, that we truly appreciate His LOVING-kindness, mercy and forgiveness. Now you all will have to help me here by raising your sweet voices above my croaking one. (smile) As one powerful, united, body of Christ then, let’s chant. ‘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 was excellent Friends! Jesus chuckled when he heard my croaking, off-key tones, but He is so wonderful, He will accept genuine praise and thanks in any shape or form. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just come from a sincere heart. And so, having reminded ourselves of how we ought to handle the weekend, let’s look at our Bit. ‘O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth. Selah.’ It’s the same one from yesterday because I never exhausted all the relevant Psalms. And up first is Psalm 97 – The Lord is far above all gods. From the opening verse the psalmist makes it abundantly clear, who is the boss. ‘The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitudes of isles (coastlands) be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgement are the habitation (foundation) of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.’ (Ps.97:1-6) Oh Friends, NO other God has those omnipotent attributes! And that’s an acknowledged fact, because they have been constantly proven from the very beginning of time. Now listen to some of Psalm 98 – Praise to God for His salvation. ‘Make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise (break forth in song). Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm (sound of a song). With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) before the Lord, the King. …Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity (in uprightness).’ (Ps.98:4-6, 9) Yes Friends, we need to boldly proclaim the wonders of our omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present Creator, God, Father, King and Righteous Judge! Yuh see how many things He is to us? So if we don’t serve and faithfully worship Him, we’ll simply end up with the evildoers, eternally separated from Him and His majestic kingdom. And I keep reminding us that that’s the worst thing that could ever happen to a mortal being! But this present world isn’t listening; we’re still running behind the foolish clown prince of darkness Lucifer, even though the world is going to hell in a hand basket by following his evil inclinations. Please remember Friends that Lucifer believes in God, He knows more about God and His awesome powers than us, because he was once one of God’s right hand men. And furthermore, he can’t touch a child of God without asking God’s permission, like he did with Job, or unless we foolishly fall for his wiles and lies. And to heap even more coals of fire on Lucifer’s head, Jesus came to earth and conquered death and the grave, and also set us free from them if we believe on His Holy Name. So why in heaven’s name, are we still so caught up in Lucifer’s nonsense eh, when everything points to the undeniable, indelible fact that he is a loser? And like most losers, he’s a sore one, just trying to get back at Almighty God. But here’s how we thwart him. ‘Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield (produce) her increase; And God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.’ (Ps.67:5-7) And that’s not rocket science, it’s what we’ve seen and heard been done over the ages. So Friends, please let’s use the brains, the wisdom, the spiritual insight that the Creator has so LOVINGLY placed in each of us to rise up and see Lucifer’s fallen world for what truly is nuh; a glitzy facade behind which hides death, destruction and eternal separation from the Lord God Jehovah. Until we rise up in revolt against Lucifer, in a LOVE Revolution, as one united body of Christ, we’ll continue to exist as simple-minded minions in his fallen world. And that’s surely not something to write home about! Much LOVE!…it’s so sad to see those made in God’s image…bow to a fallen being…when all reason shouts otherwise…
18 Jan 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: Babylon, earthly possessions, fellowship, Friday chant, God is good, God's glorious kingdom, God's will, Good is the Lord's word, heaven's our home, life is unfair, peace and truth, pride, relaxation, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, true reality, vanity, woeful traffic conditions
Isaiah 39:8. Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.
Oh Friends, it seems that the white stuff’s been flying around in places it doesn’t usually fly, like parts of the U.S South. In the last week or so, it’s been battering places like Texas and Maine, now Virginia and other southern states are seeing snow, to which they’re not accustomed. Unfortunately, the white powder has also blanketed parts of Eastern and Western Canada. Thankfully though, it hasn’t done much in my area, until yesterday evening. Before that, we were having some spring like temps, and what snow was on the ground was melting. And even now, the snow we have is not a lot. ‘Praise the Lord!’ I’m sorry for the many, all over the continent, who will get caught up in the woeful traffic conditions on their way to work this morning. But just remember that it’s Friday, give a joyful shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ then take your time driving on the snow covered, icy or slushy roads. But yuh know, it’s unfortunate and somewhat unfair that in places like T&T, this Friday will be truly very joyful with all the pre- Carnival activity that’s taking place down there. However, we up here in the cold northern climes know that though life is not fair, our God is good, and He will look after us in whatever untenable or unpalatable situations we find ourselves in. And to give credence to that belief, let’s chant our Friday Chant with as much enthusiasm as we can manage. ‘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.’ Now that should serve to quell whatever anxiety we felt and give us the right perspective in handling the weekend. And our Bit today is a rather interesting one. ‘Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good (Just) is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For (at least) there shall be peace and truth in my days.’ Now why would Hezekiah, king of Judah, make such a reply eh? According to the scholars’, the story goes like this: A former king of Babylon, Merodach-baladan, apparently trying to wrest Babylon back from the new Assyrian ruler, Sennacherib, sends an ambassadorial delegation to Hezekiah, with a present, letters and congratulations on his recent recovery from illness. Now the king was also possibly looking for allies in his quest to retake Babylon, and Hezekiah, somewhat impressed by this attention, showed the king’s messengers all his treasures. The Good Book declares that: ‘there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.’ (Is.39:2) Shortly thereafter, the prophet Isaiah shows up and asks Hezekiah about the men and their business. Hezekiah tells him that they came from Babylon. ‘Then said he (Isaiah), what have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not showed them.’ (Is.39:4) Ah Friends, obviously vanity and pride had something to do with Hezekiah’s behaviour; showing total strangers all his treasure. But that’s not so strange since even today we do it too. When friends come to visit, and even virtual strangers, we take them around our houses or businesses to show them our treasure, not knowing what’s in their minds. That sort of boasting or showing off of our earthly possessions, has often proven to be disastrous, for unawares we have entertained thieves and scoundrels, who have subsequently caused us grief, in one form or another. In Hezekiah’s case, Isaiah used the incident to prophesy the imminent Babylonian captivity of Judah. ‘Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And thy sons that shall issue (descend) from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ (Is.39:5-7) And our Bit today, is Hezekiah’s answer to Isaiah’s prophetic vision. Now can you imagine giving that sort of meek, well if the Lord says so, is so, response to such a catastrophic prophecy? I doubt very many of us would, because we’d be too concerned about our children and our earthly possessions. We’d possibly slap Isaiah upside the head and run him out of our house. But Hezekiah took it coolly enough, possibly because he realized his serious error in judgement that his pride and vanity had caused. Then, sensing that there wasn’t anything he could do to change the situation, decided to calmly accept God’s will, whatever it turned out to be. He was at least heartened by the fact that there would be peace and truth during his reign. Oh Friends, perhaps we can learn something today from Hezekiah’s acceptance of God’s will, especially when we’re wrong. Instead of acting out, as we tend to do when it doesn’t coincide with our desires, we can repent, apologize or admit the error of our ways, and ask for the Lord’s forgiveness. It’s much better than making a fuss or trying to fight the Lord’s will. Ah my brethren, please let’s remember that earth is not our true home, just a way-station on our journey to that marvellous resting place Jesus has promised. That means we cannot afford to let the earthly possessions in our stewardship take us away from the true reality, that heaven’s our home, and what’s really important is the treasures that we store there, not the undistinguished things of the earth. Much LOVE!…for where your treasure is…there will your heart be also… (Matt.6:21)
02 Jan 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: body of Christ, civil tongues, closer walk with God, commandments, differences, dissensions, doctrines, evil spirits, fellowship, glorify God, God's righteous kingdom, goodwill, heartfelt plea, New Year's resolutions, pleas, pleasant demeanour, positive change, power hungry, prosperity, religion, sacrifice, transgressions, true heart of Christ, unity
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, it’s day 2 of 2013, and for many of us the common grind and daily task begins again today. But can I plead one heartfelt plea with us? Please, as this Christmas and New Year seasons wind down, please let us not go back to the crude, rude, unmannerly, resentful, disgusting way we’ve been treating each other in the past year. It’s just not becoming of us, my people. For once in our life, let’s allow the goodwill and fellowship of the season to continue right through the New Year nuh. We don’t have to hug and kiss, or even like everybody we come into contact with, but we can surely have a more civil tongue in our heads and more pleasant demeanour. That doesn’t cost us anything, but it shows the true heart of Christ. As I said yesterday, there’s only one New Year’s resolution our entire world needs to make, and that’s to purpose a closer walk with Jesus! And being kind and considerate to our fellow humans is the first step in that direction. As the great philosopher Plato reputedly said eons ago; ‘The beginning is the most important part of the work.’ And that’s no lie Friends! I can attest to that just in writing the Bit everyday. The biggest hurdle is to get started. But once I do, everything comes together smoothly. And I’m sure most of you can also attest to the universal fact that making the first move in anything, always takes the most effort and courage. The Chinese Proverb puts it this way: ‘The longest journey begins with the first step.’ That’s also undeniable truth! So if we really want to have a closer walk with Jesus this year, it means we have to begin at the beginning, for though it’s the hardest part of the process, it’s also the most important. For to accomplish anything, we have to begin somewhere, sometime. Now does that get me any marks as a philosopher? (smile) From the lukewarm response, I’d guess not. But it’s the truth anyway. Now turning to our Bit: ‘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 believe this will be the most important Bit of this year 2013, because it’s where we take stock of ourselves and those connected to us, of our individual society and of our world. It’s when we seriously try to turn the tables on the evil spirits and people who are currently controlling our lives and our world and ruining them. And what amazes, as well as disturbs me, is that the answer to all our problems is so easy, it’s right before our very eyes; turning back to having a true and sincere faith in Almighty God and having Him play significant roles in our individual lives and our societies. But for some unexplainable reason we seem afraid and/or reluctant to do it. But I do know it’s the right thing for us to do. It’s the only action that will get us out of the sad state we’re currently mired in. But unfortunately, right now, most of us seem to be listening to a different tune from Lucifer and his evil cronies, and thus they are now holding sway. Believe me though, my brethren, if only we, the church, the body of Christ could get back to working AS ONE, instead of fighting each other, we’d eat up, defeat the enemy in no time at all. But it’s the foolish divisions among Christ’s people that allow Beelzebub’s minions to rule the roost. The enemy is successfully using the old divide and conquer tactic on us. But unless and until the mostly petty and unimportant dissensions and differences are seriously addressed and worked out between Christ’s people, His church will not attain any real victory here on earth. But the devil’s in the details; reducing things like power struggles, streamlining doctrines, etc. etc. It’s always the selfish, power hungry, have to be right attitudes that spoil the show. And sadly, that’s not the attitude championed by Christ. It’s time Friends, for us to put up, or simply shut up. It’s time for Christ’s church to come together, to form a cohesive group, preaching what Christ preached, not what we want to preach or hear. If this doesn’t happen very soon, the church is just going to get more fractured and lose what little authority and acceptance it has left. And it’s only true believers, those who are willing to make the sacrifice, like Jesus did, who will affect or cause positive change in the evil doings of our world. But until we work together as ONE, that will never happen. Oh please, my fellow brethren in Christ, I’m appealing, pleading, begging, whatever action it takes, for us to get real serious about our faith, to get together and fight for it, otherwise we’re going to eventually lose it. Just look at some of the other faiths nuh, who though they worship dead and incompetent gods, their great belief, courage and zeal has them fighting tooth and nail to promote their unrighteous cause. Meanwhile, we, the Christians, who supposedly worship the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD, fight amongst ourselves, sit on our laurels, seeking individual fame and glory, and refuse to make the effort to seriously come together and make a concerted effort to win the world for Christ, as He so humbly asked us to do. Oh Friends, I’m chuckling here, because this is one of those times when I was led to just get on our case about our dissensions and divisions, our inactivity, our hypocrisy, and all the wrong and bad things in the church, as we know it. Ah Lord eh! When will we learn my people, when will we wake up to the reality that life’s passing us by, and that our efforts are both lacklustre and insufficient? I don’t know if my pleas will make any difference to anything, but Friends, somebody’s got to cry out for unity between Christ’s people and His church, or else we’ll all just keep on going down to hell in the hand basket of petty divisions, of evil and worldly lusts we’ve chosen to put ourselves into. In closing, I just hope and pray that the Lord will take us to task this notable year of 2013, and put it in our hearts to truly be an example of righteousness to the unbelievers, as well as the believers, because they too need proper examples to help them guide their lives on the right path. But Friends, most of that can, or will never happen unless we start to truly LOVE our God, truly LIVE our Christian Faith, and truly SPREAD the WORD of God, as we ought to. Much LOVE!…may the good Lord convict our hearts and minds…at the start of this New Year…RIGHT NOW…to walk ever closer to Him…and thus increase and glorify His righteous kingdom…Amen…
14 Dec 2012
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: christmas celebrations, commitment to God, cry out to God, deliverance from the wicked, enemy is always on the prowl, fellowship, Friday chant, fun, furthering God's kingdom, hope, praise, preservation, ps and qs, rest and relaxation, serve, targets, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, thanks, times of celebration, true perspective, trust, unrighteous man, worship
Psalm 71:4. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday; the penultimate one before Christmas! And there were joyful shouts of: ‘Yesss, TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ Then the parang section started up; ‘Maria, Maria. Aye Maria…’ Ah mih people, the ole fella’s feeling better than he has in several days. Thank the Lord! Though I’m not completely over the stupid cough and cold yet, at least I can breathe much easier today. Anyway, we all know that life is rough and not often fair, but we also know for sure that our God IS GOOD! And all God’s people said a loud and thankful ‘Amen.’ And since it’s Friday, that means we have to chant our Friday Chant to put the weekend in its true perspective. Therefore as one voice, let’s chant sweetly: ‘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.’ Now, hopefully, that will keep us minding our ps and qs, so that we don’t go overboard this weekend, especially with all the Christmas celebrations in the air. Please remember Friends, that the enemy is always on the prowl for captives, (1 Pet.5:8) more so in times of celebration, when he knows that we let our hair down and are most susceptible to his advances. Today though, we ask for help for those of us in our mature, advanced years, and who are still besieged by Lucifer and his evil cronies, who don’t necessarily distinguish targets by age, all believers are worthwhile targets. The problem however, is that the older we get, the more feeble in mind and body we also become, thus often making us an easier mark for the powers of darkness. We have a very good example of that in the numerous frauds now being carried out against the aged in our society. Consequently, the psalmist writing in Psalm 71, a prayer for help in old age, solemnly implores the Lord in our Bit: ‘Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.’ Yes my people, it doesn’t matter whether it’s in our old age or our youth, when our enemies pressure us, we need to cry out to our ever-faithful God for deliverance. As the psalmist continues: ‘For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from the womb (upheld from birth): thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels (womb): my praise shall be continually of thee.’ (Ps.71:5-6) Please note my brethren, that this old psalmist has been a staunch believer from his youth, and though he has seen some rough times, he’s made up his mind to keep on praising the Lord, come what may. Oh Friends, have we made that monumental commitment to Almighty God as yet? Have we already declared, or are willing to declare, like the old man, beset round about by enemies, that come hell or high water we’ll keep praising, thanking, serving, and worshipping the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Now that’s a very important question we need to sit and seriously ponder, and hopefully decide in the affirmative, because there’s none other than Jehovah God, who can successfully deliver us from the hands of our enemies. Oh mih breddren, I just had to plead with the Lord for escape from my enemy, as a coughing spell suddenly attacked me. (smile) And believe me, a cough is my deadliest enemy. There’s no sickness I despise as much as a cough, because it activates my asthma, and in my youth and early manhood, I coughed enough to last me several lifetimes. But thank the Lord that doesn’t happen too often anymore, so my life is fairly smooth in that respect. And just to show that it’s not only us old fogies who cry out to God for help, we’ll end with some verses from Psalm 140, where Bruh David, at the height of his manhood, implores the Lord for deliverance from evil men. ‘Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs (plan evil things) in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders (asps) poison is under their lips. Selah (Ps.140:1-3) Yes Friends, ponder that for a moment, see if you know anybody like that. Then later, like the old psalmist in our Bit, Bruh David gives his reasons for crying out to the God of his fathers. ‘I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered (provided a shelter for) my head in the day of battle. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device (scheme); lest they exalt themselves (be exalted). Selah.’ (Ps.140:6-8) That just goes to show people, that there’s no shame or disgrace in crying out to God when evil comes against us. In fact that’s just what the Lord of hosts desires, so that He can truly and faithfully show that He is indeed our protector and deliverer. So if any evil stuff is coming against you today, fellow believers, please don’t be afraid to cry out in faith and sincerity to Almighty God, cause protection and deliverance are His forte. Much LOVE!…only a proud, arrogant fool…refuses to cry out to God…in times of real need…
02 Dec 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: blessed, bountiful harvest, celebrations, continually walking with God, family, fellowship, fertile land, foolishness, friends, frivolity, harvest festival, listen to God's Word, peace as a river, sea grapes, spiritual relationship, thanksgiving, the Life, the Light, the Truth, the Way, West Indian flavour
Proverbs 8:32. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, our God is indeed a great God, there’s no doubt about that! That’s why we can sing so heartily, truthfully and appreciatively: ‘All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all. The bright and sunny weather, Our sparkling waters pure, Are gifts from God as well as, The white sand on our shore. (Chorus) The mangoes in the summer, The sea grapes growing wild, Guinep and plums and guavas, Are gifts for every child. (Chorus) The waters round our island, Are brimming full with food; Grouper and crab and lobster, That do our Bodies good. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.’ Truths for now and all time Friends! And all God’s people raised up a mighty shout unto heaven: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Praise be to Him that sits on the throne on high and looks after His children down here on earth.’ Sorry this is so late my brethren, but I was about God’s business, fellowshipping with other believers at the Harvest /Thanksgiving service at my old church, St. Andrew’s Anglican in Scarborough. I had no idea that the celebration would be so long, three hours, from 8-11 am. But it was beautiful! With a West Indian flavour that can’t be beat. The last Harvest Festival I went to there, must have been some fifty years ago, before Hurricane Flora blew down the old church in 1963. As usual, I saw friends and family that I haven’t seen in donkey years. (smile) It was also good to see all the produce of the fertile earth on display in the church, and the singing and praising was wonderful. After that I bought some of the goodies they were selling, then they held me back for lunch. I never got back home until after one, having left shortly after seven. So what else can I do but give Almighty God thanks and praise for the many blessings He’s poured down on me in the last two weeks here on His Li’l Acre? And it’s not done yet, because I still have some rounds to make later this afternoon. And even while I’m trying to write the Bit on the porch of my cosy cottage at Store Bay, under cloudy skies, people are calling and disturbing me, but I have to be nice and pleasant as our God dictates. Anyway, our Bit: ‘Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways,’ has made it to day 3, because it’s very important and there are several scriptures still left to bring to our attention. The first one today comes from Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Good Book, titled, The Lord’s judgements are righteous. And true to its title, it opens thus: ‘Blessed are the undefiled (blameless) in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.’ (Ps.119:1-2) Oh my people, how can anyone be anything other than blessed if they walk continually with the Most High God eh? Impossible! For He’s the kind of God that abundantly blesses those who diligently seek Him. I just wish more unbelievers, and supposed believers too, could truly get that into their hearts and minds, and forget the foolish Lucifer and his empty, frivolous nonsense. And as I keep saying, all the material possessions we can get by selling our souls to Lucifer, are also available from the Lord, in even greater abundance, plus they are more secure and last longer, if we get them through God’s largesse. Oh, the duchess brought a piece of roast bake and some ginger beer outside for me. Oh Tobago, sweet Tobago! Am I ever going to miss you when I’m gone! And now is a piece of sweet bread. (smile) So why bother with a ‘chupid’ fellow like Lucifer eh, one who had it all, but threw it away by unwisely trying to overthrow the Creator, and is now forced to walk in sin, disobedience and destruction? Now listen to Isaiah postulate and expatiate (smile) in wisdom and truth on the matter. ‘Thus saith the Lord, Thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened (heeded, listened) to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels (body) like the gravel (grains of sand) thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.’ (Is.48:17-19) And if you don’t believe that, just check out Israel’s history. When they followed the Lord, they prospered; when they rebelled, they suffered true hell here on earth. So which path are you going to choose eh my brethren? I certainly hope it’s the path that’s led by Jesus, for He is indeed the WAY, the TRUTH, the LIFE and the LIGHT! And hear Him tell it. One day while Jesus was preaching His family came to look for Him but couldn’t get through the big crowd. Eventually somebody told Jesus that His mother and brethren wanted to see Him. And His answer was: ‘My mother and brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.’ (Luke 8:21) If Jesus could say that about His earthly family, most of whom never believed in Him when He was alive, who am I to say different eh? And another time, while talking about a house divided against itself can’t stand, and about unclean spirits, (Luke 11:14-26) a woman in the crowd, generously declared: ‘Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps (breasts) which thou hast sucked.’ (Luke 11:27) However, Jesus’ reply declared something somewhat different: ‘Yea, rather (more than that), blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.’ (Luke 11:28) Matter fixed Friends! And the scholars hit the nail on the head with these conclusions. ‘These verses are unique to Luke. They show that spiritual relationship with Jesus is more important than family ties, and that blessedness is a matter of both hearing and doing God’s word.’ Ah Friends, I don’t know what else to say to encourage us to live for God and obey His Word nuh. I know that I am trying my best to do so, and I’m certainly benefitting from it. Now everything is not, and will never be, strictly wine, roses and song, but it’s surely always interesting, even in the difficult times. So who ever doesn’t want to do likewise, I’m sorry for them, but each individual has to make their own decisions on this particular matter. And we’ll end with the chorus of a well known hymn that we sang in church this morning in thanks for the bountiful harvest. ‘Count your blessings, Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, See what God has done.’ Oh people, please let’s do that seriously today, so that we can see and understand the wonders our God is doing in the lives of His children down here on Mother Earth. Much LOVE!…as for me and mine…we’ll definitely follow Jesus…
16 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: baptized, bitterness, eternal life, fellowship, Friday chant, holy spirit, living truth, LOVE, LOVE of Money, many sorrows, outward show, prayerful heart, relaxation, salvation, suffering, Thank God it's Friday, the importance of prayer, unity in Christ's church
1 Timothy 6:10. For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, the day we’ve all been anxiously waiting for! And according to our old nursery rhyme, Friday’s child is LOVING and giving! Now that’s the truth of not only those born on a Friday, but even more so of all Jesus’ followers. And in light of all the recent disasters, Sandy et al, the tone of Friday celebrations has been lowered somewhat. Not as many people are joyfully shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And those who are, their joy is a tad subdued, because they know or can appreciate the feelings of those undergoing the sad ‘sufferation’ that’s gripping so many parts of our world. Now that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the life the Lord’s provided for us, but out of our plenty, we have to share with the less fortunate, and even more importantly pray for them. Ah mih people, if ever there was a time that mankind desperately needed prayer, IT’S NOW! As we said a couple days ago, prayer is the most potent weapon we have. So please, please, let’s get on our knees, or whatever position best suits us, and offer up, serious, diligent, heartfelt prayers for our world and any individuals we know that are really experiencing an unusually rough time. Oh my brethren, we need prayers so rich in honesty, compassion, mercy and righteousness that the Lord has no other option but to grant them, to help His hurting children down here. That’s one of the great benefits and privileges of being a believer. Now let’s chant our Friday Chant as loudly as we can, but also with a truly prayerful heart. As one exceptional 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 Friends, that’s to set the tone for the weekend; not too high or low, but with a heart full of joy, understanding and LOVE. That brings us to our Bit, hopefully the last message based on it. (smile) Don’t blame me, I’m only the messenger. I had planned to write one message on it, but obviously the Good Lord in His infinite wisdom thought we needed more on one of the topics that is driving our world into the ground, and its people into the evil arms of Lucifer. Bruh Paul was ever so right when he warned Timothy that: ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds of) evil: which while some coveted after (in their greediness), they have erred (strayed) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ And we all know that’s the living truth, though many of us don’t have the parts to admit it. Today though, I want to share one more gospel story about money and the serious problems it can cause. This story happens in Acts 8, when Philip (the evangelist, not the apostle) went down to Samaria and preached Christ to them. However, the great joy that followed Philip’s preaching seriously cut into the business of one Simon ‘which beforetime in the same city used sorcery (practiced magic), and bewitched (astonished) the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.’ (Acts 8:9-10) As unlikely as it seems, Simon became a believer, and hung out with Philip, being amazed at the miracles and signs that were happening in the Christian community. Finally, when the brethren at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had become a hot bed of repentance, they sent Peter and John, ‘Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.’ (Acts 8:15-16) The scholars describe the situation thus: ‘The ministry of Peter and John must be understood in the light of the unique historical situation. As at Pentecost, God is initiating a new work – the beginning of the church amongst a distinct ethnic group. The Samaritans were Jews of mixed blood whom the other Jews despised. At Pentecost, no human instrument was involved in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Here God delays the outpouring until after the arrival of Peter and the laying on of his hands. Thus the Jerusalem church and the Samaritan church are united into one work, one body. Without Peter’s involvement, this work may not have been accepted by some Jews. Thus schism was avoided from the start.’ Chuh! If we could heal some of the serious schism we now have in Christ’s church eh! Anyway, to continue the story: ‘Then laid they (Peter, John) their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot (portion) in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of (poisoned by) bitterness, and in the bond of (bound by) iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.’ (Acts.8:17-24) Ah Friends, once again money raised its ugly head, causing Simon to think he could buy the power of the Holy Spirit with man made wealth. And the scholars have a very good word on that. ‘Simon the sorcerer made an outward profession of faith (v.13), but his response demonstrates his lack of spiritual life. Early Christian writings substantiate this fact. Simon, like Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, (2 Kin. 5:20-27) sought to use God’s miraculous gift for his own benefit.’ And don’t laugh or criticize Friends, because today many of us still believe we can buy anything with money, which is a complete fallacy. So please, in closing, let’s stop making money our number one priority nuh. Let’s write it indelibly in our hearts and minds, that though money is important, it is definitely not as important as worshipping and serving Almighty God. It NEVER WAS, and NEVER WILL BE! Much LOVE!…money can buy many things…but not the MOST important…LOVE…Salvation…and Eternal Life…
26 Oct 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: blasphemy, Christmas Carols, deception, destruction, exploitation, faith, false prophets, falsehood, fellowship, Friday chant, heresy, Jesus Christ, meditation, Parang, prayer, salvation, sensibilities in Jesus, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, truth, weekend
Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! The day we all LOVE to see come around, because it heralds the weekend; two days of no labouring for Massa. But you know what’s already happening in T&T? Christmas Carols and Parang (local folk music with a Spanish influence) are already being played on the T&T radio stations. Wow! I was somewhat surprised to hear them being aired so early, 2 months before Christmas. And I haven’t heard any up here as yet. But as we all know, Christmas is a big time in the Twin Island Republic, especially in this 50th year of Independence. So you can imagine how the Parang sides are already lined up with their quatros (a small, guitar like instrument) to go out to sing and celebrate the wonderful birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And today, everybody’s singing to quatro accompaniment: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Work done for the week! Is my time now! Thank God is Friday!’ But Friends, to get the proper perspective for the weekend, we need to tone down the rhetoric and party time some, and ramp up the influence of Jesus. So let’s do that by chanting our Friday Chant nuh, with much spirit and enthusiasm. As one 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, the weekend isn’t for partying alone, it’s also a time to renew and refresh our sensibilities in Jesus, especially with fellowship on whatever day you celebrate the Sabbath. That’s one way to adhere to the advice of our Bit: ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.’ When we renew our acquaintance with Christ, through study, prayer, meditation and fellowship, it enables us to better understand what we’re all about in Him, and thus to stand up stronger for the TRUTH of our FAITH. And some of you probably get a little miffed because I keep harping on TRUTH and standing strong in the FAITH, but Friends, there’s a very good reason for that, namely the falsehood, prevarication and all the other anomalies that are so prevalent in Christ’s church today, in all aspects of its being; from clergy to congregation, to doctrine and practices. And unless we know the TRUTH and stand up strong to protect it, then Christ’s church will eventually become even more divisive than it is now, and of even less positive repute. And that’s something I’m sure none of us want to happen, but it will unless WE ALL get actively involved in building and strengthening it. Now let’s get into some serious scripture on the subject, Listen to Peter, as he wisely warns of false prophets and teachers: ‘But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (secretly) shall bring in damnable (destructive) heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious (destructive) ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of (blasphemed). And through covetousness shall they with feigned (deceptive) words make merchandise of (exploit) you: whose judgement now of a long time lingereth not (has not been idle), and their damnation (destruction) slumbereth not.’ (2 Pet.2:1-3) Yes Friends, it happened back then and it’s happening now too, more widespread, with even greater fervour because of the ease of communication, and numerous lost, anxious humans looking for, seeking some kind of healing balm for their emotional and spiritual wounds. Now we’ll end with some observations from the scholars on those verses. ‘The opposite of true revelation is the message of false prophets and false teachers who deceive God’s flock and bring in damnable heresies. These heresies (unorthodox teachings) include an open denial of Christ Himself. Denying the Lord that bought them indicates that Christ’s atonement potentially extends to all men, including those false teachers who reject Him. Therefore they will experience destruction because they themselves will be deceived by their own teaching and continue to reject the way of truth.’ Oh Friends, please take all this seriously, because it concerns each and every believer, and the TRUTH or falsehood we allow into our lives. Much LOVE!…beware of sweet-tongued teachers and preachers…for those with the gift of gab…can lead even the most faithful astray… P.S. It’s a good thing that I don’t have a sweet tongue or the gift of gab. (smile)
12 Oct 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: criminal purposes, fellowship, fraud, Friday chant, God's glorious kingdom, mass communication, relaxation, restrain our tongues, self-awareness, temptation, TGIF!
Psalm 39:1. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
Ah Friends, you don’t know how many of us have been dying to see this day, this day called Friday! Some of us have been focused on it since leaving home on Monday morning to go to work. So much so, that by lunchtime on Monday, we’re asking, ‘Isn’t it Friday yet?’ And you wouldn’t believe the note of disbelief in our voices, that Friday could be taking so long to come. (smile) But that’s how much we seem to value Fridays. Well Friends, I come bearing good tidings, today is Friday. At last Friday has arrived. And all the worker bees joyfully declare: ‘Yeah! TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes!’ So to celebrate the universal looking-forward to the day before a short freedom from the drudgery of the workplace, let’s joyfully and enthusiastically chant our Friday Chant. As one beautiful 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 now that we’ve straightened out our focus and perspective for the weekend, let’s have a gander at our Bit: ‘I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep (restrain) my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.’ And sadly, that’s something we all need to try and accomplish, especially in these times of so much easy and quick communication. The technology is encouraging us to talk a lot more than we should, and behold, the wicked are often the providers and controllers of the technology we use to communicate in this accelerated age of mass communication. Now what does that mean to the believer? In terms of our Bit, it means first of all that we shouldn’t become too deeply involved with, or totally entrenched in the social media apparatus, because they all have built in features to grab your private information and spread it to whomsoever they will, often for a price. So when we put too much of our private information out there, it’s scary to think of the places it could end up and the dishonest uses it could be put to. This social media set up is being used for a lot of fraudulent and criminal purposes. But then, if you can’t resist the temptation of the social media juggernaut, then please, I implore you again, be very careful what you say or write, because as we see everyday, somebody is getting in trouble for the info they shared. It’s also a matter of simple logic Friends; the more we say or write, the more opportunities we have to say or write the wrong thing. Remember what James says about the tongue? ‘Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter (forest) a little fire kindleth (sets on fire). And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue (set) among our members (bodily parts), that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature (existence); and it is set on fire of hell.’ (James 3:5-6) Yes Friends, that’s the living truth, for our tongues have either directly or indirectly caused the majority of the problems in our world today. And in these times of plenty written communication, the tongue is now also wagging the finger when it writes. The sad part is that most of us don’t have much of real importance to say. Or if we do, it can often be communicated in seconds. So why keep on eh? Because we have been conditioned to think that the social media stuff is so great, the greatest thing since sliced bread, and if you’re not totally involved in it, then you’re outside the mainstream of society. Ah mih people, the evil, ungodly followers of Lucifer are just pulling our strings like a puppet, and we are allowing them to do so. Our Bit comes from a psalm of Bruh David, where he’s praying for self-understanding, and I’d like to suggest that we should all be searching for that, instead of just thoughtlessly expatiating in the new medium. It’s time for us to look inside ourselves to see what’s wrong in there, rather than outside, where there’s a lot of heartache and trouble to be found. Bruh David continues after our Bit: ‘I was dumb (mute) with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing (meditating) the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.’ (Ps.39:2-4) Yes Friends, it’s to our God we should be turning, not the evil stuff that’s sprouting up all over our world, nicely called the social media. Don’t get me wrong, it has it’s useful purposes, but too many of us are being too easily caught up in its all consuming web of lies and deceit. That’s enough for us to ponder today. More on the subject tomorrow if the Lord sees it fit to give us life. Till then, please, let’s keep our talking and writing to a minimum, so that we stand less chance of getting in trouble, and if we have a problem, please, let’s look to our Great God first. That’s as it ought to be. Much LOVE!…words of wisdom…stop…listen…and think…before talking or writing… P.S. I sure hope I did that. (smile) Much LOVE!
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