Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 April 2013 Isaiah 40:18

20 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 40:18.     To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
 
Ah Friends, this weather situation is really getting ridiculous yes! The last two days the temperature has been in the high teens, almost summer weather, with people running around half naked. But today and tomorrow it’s only supposed to reach a high of 4 and 5 degrees Celsius respectively, and then go back up to double digits on Monday and Tuesday. Steups! No wonder people get all sorts of ailments in the land of the four seasons. The weather used to be fairly predictable, season by season, but now, with all the climate changes, global warming and what have you, you’re never sure what one day or the next is going to bring. And just to prove that point, I happened to look outside just now, and what do you think I saw? Snowflakes raining down from the sky! Ah Lord eh! Most likely that won’t last long or cause much inconvenience, but just the very thought that you can go from warm sunshine to weather suitable for snow in only a few hours doesn’t warm the heart. And I understand that earlier on a tornado touched down north of Toronto, but I don’t know the extent of the damage. However, it’s certainly a good thing that we don’t have a wishy-washy, unpredictable God like the weather, one that spins back and forth like a yo-yo, but rather a strong, reliable, unchanging, same for all seasons Deity. So though we may be annoyed by the current unpredictable weather patterns, we don’t have to agonize or fret too much over them, since we can rely on the Most High God to get us through anything to which He brings us. The prophet Isaiah, in talking of our God’s majesty, rightly proclaims: ‘All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity (worthless)’ (Is.40:17) Oh my fellow believers, those are words of undeniable truth! There’s no one, or nothing on the face of the earth, or beneath the seas, in fact in this entire universe to compare to our omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present, all knowing God! No wonder the prophet asks then in our Bit, with a touch of scorn: ‘To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?’ And the correct answer my brethren is, NO ONE or NOTHING! For if He made the universe and all therein, how could any part or person of His creation be greater than Him eh? That’s what the fallen angel Lucifer and the other numbskulls that rebelled with him, failed to understand. And just for good measure, in case we don’t believe or understand, the prophet goes on to argue the situation in rhetorical question form. ‘The workman melteth (moulds) a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and (the silversmith) casteth (casts) silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation (no such offering) chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning (skillful) workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved (totter and fall)’ (Is.40:19-20) Yes Friends, that’s how many mortal men operate. That’s how they initiate a god into their lives, for it seems that whoever, or wherever we are, we always seem to feel this deep need inside of us to worship something or other. That’s just the natural call of the living God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But unfortunately mankind doesn’t always understand or heed that call, and eventually ends up bowing to man made objects, which in the Lord’s eyes is the most contemptuous sacrilege possible, as He proclaims from the earliest times. ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to (worship) them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting (punishing) the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generations of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto them that LOVE me, and keep my commandments.’ (Ex.20:3-6) Ah mih people, it couldn’t be put any clearer or simpler than that! That’s why Isaiah continues: ‘Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundation of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon (above) the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. That bringeth (reduces) the princes to nothing: he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity (useless). Yea, they shall not (scarcely) be planted; yea, they shall not (scarcely) be sown; yea, their stock shall not (scarcely) take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.’ (Is.40:21-24) That’s the story in living colour Friends! The scholars point to ‘Genesis 1:26, where man is created in the image and likeness of God as a personal and moral being.’ So how can a graven image, a dead, lifeless, man made object ever be compared to our God eh? No way Jose! Ah mih people, I just don’t understand how supposedly intelligent humans can worship dead, lifeless objects nuh, many of them made with their own hands. As I asked earlier on, how can something you make be so powerful that you have to bow to it? It just doesn’t follow logically, especially when there’s a wonderful living God in existence who watches over all our comings and goings with LOVING-kindness. And having had time and plenty info to contemplate the question in our Bit, we’ll end by asking it in a slightly different form. ‘To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.’ (Is.40:25) Oh Friends, the answer remains the same: NOBODY! NOBODY OR NOTHING is greater than our God! Please remember that, and all will be well with you, for that is indeed wisdom of the very highest order. Much LOVE!…once you know Jehovah God…there’s only one thing you can do…that’s LOVE Him…with all your heart, mind, body and soul…
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 July 2012 Proverbs 16:3

14 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:3.    Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
 
And the beat goes on; hot, muggy and dry! Yes Friends, that’s how the summer of 2012 is shaping up to be. And it’s playing havoc with the crops, starting to drive up food prices. The weather system in our world has certainly gone awry, with more abnormal happenings every day. Why is that eh? Could it be that our constant polluting of the atmosphere has finally reached a stage where all the chemical garbage we spew into it is beginning to take effect, with significant abnormalities, now becoming the norm? No doubt about it! Global warming and our unwise environmental actions do play a part in the vagaries of today’s weather patterns. How much of a part our foolish actions play, I don’t know, because there’s also another side to the equation; the divine hand of God. God’s hand is undoubtedly involved in the many abnormal natural disasters we’ve been facing all over the globe for the last few years. But are we heeding any of these warnings? Sadly not. It’s amazing how people will agree that the weather systems are indeed changing, having recently become more volatile and unexpected, but fail to agree on why, and what to do about them. Friends, I humbly submit that the first two things we need to do to bring about some positive change is to stop putting so much poisonous stuff in the atmosphere, and then return to a God-centred lifestyle. Or as our Bit so wisely states: ‘Commit (roll off) thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ Isn’t that how the Israelites were first established? Isn’t that how many of the world’s great nations, including the now backsliding U.S.A. were founded; on the worthy principles of Almighty God? So why have we turned away from God eh, more intent on removing Him completely from our society, than at any time in history? How did Lucifer and his evil cohorts become so powerful, while God is becoming a lesser presence every day? Unfortunately my people, I have no answers for those serious questions, but the reality of God slowly drifting out of our society, in favour of Lucifer’s fleshly and worldly norms is a sad and agonizing fact. The important thing though my brethren, is that we believers in and followers of Jesus, are the ones who have to stand up and be counted, be the main force in turning this ungodly, unpalatable situation around. Just think about the foul, inhospitable, erratic world our grandchildren will inhabit if we continue down this foolish, evil, ungodly path we seem so intent on travelling. We need to start thinking with our hearts and not our heads. That’s called LOVE, Friends! And the first action we need to take to enable us to put serious LOVE into play, is recommitting ourselves and our works to the Most High God, as our Bit advises. Bruh David says it loud and clear in Psalm 55, a cry against deceitful friends. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps.55:22) That’s truth at its finest my people! And Jesus, when talking about one master, made it absolutely clear that His heavenly Father should be that one: ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)?…But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt.6:25, 33-34) Ah mih breddren, why is that so difficult for us to accept eh, when there are so many historical precedents, beginning with Abraham’s journey from his homeland, to Israel’s escape from bondage in Egypt, to the founding of the U.S by the Pilgrim Fathers, it’s dramatic rise to power and prominence, and now it’s catastrophic fall from grace, because God is no longer the uppermost factor in its hallowed halls, schools and homes. What did Cousin Sol say about that situation? ‘Where there is no (prophetic) vision (or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’  (Prov.29:18)  And that’s the living truth Friends, as is being borne out by the devastating calamities being suffered by a world that’s irrationally and bombastically turned away from the ONE and ONLY TRUE God. Oh my people, I’m just a lowly scribe, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where we’ve gone wrong, and unfortunately are continuing to go wrong. Now here’s Peter’s prescription for a successful transformation: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet.5:6-7) Oh Friends, truer words were never spoken! But the long and short of the story is that where the divine laws of the Living God are not subscribed and conformed to by the majority of  of its citizens, that society will soon decline and decay from lack of divine guidance and blessings, as well as the imposition of divine punishment. History has proven that many times over! So I don’t know what else to say to get us to smarten up and get faithfully and diligently driving that great engine of LOVE in the LOVE Revolution, for it’s only through that great and wonderful emotion of God that we stand a chance. Much LOVE!…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…for the warning is loud and clear…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 July 2012 Proverbs 10:30

07 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 10:30.    The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
 
Oh Friends, yesterday was indeed a hot one! Even the wind was hot! Thankfully to day won’t be as hot – at least that’s what the forecasters say, but you can’t trust them too much with their rather inexact science. A couple of days ago, they were predicting storms in my area, Hn! Up to now we haven’t seen a drop of heavenly blessing! The grass is not as dry as before though, because the Duchess has been blessing it with plenty earthly water. Just hope I can pay the water bill when it comes. (smile) Anyway Friends, all over North America the heat’s been abnormally rampant, one commentator even links it to global warming, but we need more evidence to justify that. However, whatever the cause, it’s hot, so please take care to put on sun screen if you’re going outside for any length of time, drink lots of cold fluids to keep hydrated, and try to stay in cool, shaded, or air-conditioned areas. And remember, as believers in Christ, we have to look on the positive side of the ledger; the glass being half-full rather than half empty, of which our Bit quite rightly informs us. ‘The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.’ Ah mih people, wise words from Cousin Sol! It’s also a very important premise, as well as fact, under the rule of Almighty God, and it’s clearly stated several times and several ways in His Word. Let’s look at a few of them. In Psalm 37, the true state of the wicked, Bruh David says it this way: ‘For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth (land); and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off (destroyed).’ (Ps.37:22) Meanwhile, in an earlier chapter of Proverbs, Cousin Sol states it thus: ‘The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation (dwelling) of the just.’ (Prov.3:33) Yes Friends, the Most High looks down on those who sincerely try to walk in obedience to His Word with much favour. Not so the wicked and disobedient though. Listen to what he told the Israelites on the way to the Promised Land, re the penalties for disobedience. ‘But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments…I will also do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption (a wasting disease), and the burning ague (fever), that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart; and ye shall sow your seed in vain (without profit), for your enemies shall eat it.’ (Lev.26:14,16) And that’s the good part! Oh my people, please make it a point to read Leviticus 26, if you don’t know it, and see the difference between the blessings of obedience and the penalties for disobedience. The latter takes up almost two pages, while the former does less than one page. That just goes to show Friends, how serious our God is about obedience to His Word. Now hear this from Zechariah, re the curse of the flying roll: ‘Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off (purged out, expelled) as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth (swears falsely) shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it (the curse) forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.’ (Zech. 5:3-4) The Lord’s serious about His curses and blessings Friends. As you can see there’s even a special one for thieves and blasphemers. But remembering that the glass is half full rather than half empty, let’s end on a positive note, the blessings of the righteous. In the very first Psalm, the psalmist profoundly proclaims: ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (mockers). But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate (ponder, contemplate) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’ (Ps.1:1-3) Wow! As I keep saying, what a wonderful and gracious God we serve and worship! Yes my people, that is the Lord’s desire, His promise to those who are faithful and obedient to His Word. Please, I implore us, let’s ensure that we’re numbered amongst the righteous nuh, so that we will be eternally blessed as the Lord has promised. That’s the only earthly avenue that projects true wisdom. Much LOVE!…let us hold fast the profession of our faith…without wavering…for He is faithful that promised… (Heb.10:23)  P.S. No complaints about length today though Friends, cause it’s short and sweet! (smile) Much LOVE!