Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 September 2012 Psalm 117:1

24 Sep 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 117:1.     O Praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

A wise and wonderful Monday morning to all you believers in Christ! Awright, so we’re not all so wonderful or wise in our everyday lives, but we’ve surely made the wisest and best decision of our lives to follow Jesus, and that says a great deal about us. Yes my Friends, those who accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, and stand steadfast and strong in their belief are the wisest people in this wicked and cruel world controlled by the arch enemy and master criminal Lucifer. But Jesus has already conquered him and his evil world, (John 16:33) so there’s no need to be anxious or worried about Lucifer’s bombastic carrying’s on. We just have to keep on HEARING the Word, LIVING it, and LOVING our wonderful THREE in ONE God, with all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. What a joy that is my brethren! And yuh know, even that TRINITY of SPIRITS that’s our DEITY, speaks volumes re the power, glory and magnanimity of our Creator! And so, to give us the boost, the jolt we need, like our first cup of hot, strong java, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get us in fighting mode. So with all the sincerity and enthusiasm we can muster, let’s sing! ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Wow Friends! Isn’t that a better ‘perker-upper’ than a cup of coffee? For sure! Now since we’re all perked up, let’s get out on to the battlefields of this ungodly world to put up one helluva fight for Jesus: the BEST THING that ever happened to mankind! No wonder our Bit today strongly and joyfully proclaims: ‘O Praise the Lord, all ye nations (gentiles): praise (glorify) him, all ye people.’ Yes my brethren, that’s exactly what the whole world needs to do. Why? ‘For his merciful (LOVING) kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.’ (Ps.117:2) Now here’s some interesting info from the scholars: ‘Psalm 117. Well known as the shortest chapter in the Bible, this little psalm contains a great message. Though some have denied it an independent existence, attaching it to Psalm 116, Psalm 117 has all three elements of the hymn of praise: a call to praise (v. 1), a cause for praise (v, 2a, b), and a conclusion, which, in this case, is a simple  praise ye the Lord (v. 2c). The fact that the nations and people (lit., “peoples”) are addressed in verse 1 makes this psalm the only one in the Psalter addressed in its entirety to the Gentile world. Its evangelistic mood was still baffling to some of Paul’s readers. This is one of four passages that Paul quotes from the Old Testament in Romans 15, to prove that God is interested in saving the Gentiles.’ And so He is my people. Now let’s check out some of the scriptures that the scholars talk about in Romans 15, which deals with Unity in Christ, in the section titled, ‘The Gospel to the Gentiles.’ Bruh Paul declares thus: ‘Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister (became a servant) of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. (quoted from Rom.14: 1,3,  and Rom.5:20) And again he saith, Rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people. (quoted from Deut.32:43) And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud Him all ye people. (quoted from Ps.117:1) And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. (quoted from Is.11:1,10) And all of that comes from Rom.15:7-12. Just goes to show Bruh Paul’s high standard of education and his incredible ability as a wordsmith. And the scholars explain Bruh Paul’s motives thus: ‘Since God’s purpose has been to unite both Jew and Gentile into one body, diverse convictions and practices in doubtful matters should give way to harmony and unity.’ Oh Friends, if only that would happen in our world eh! Anyway, let’s close with a blessing from Bruh Paul that ends that section, the Gospel to the Gentiles. ‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom.15:13) And all God’s people said a loud and prayerful, ‘Amen!’ Much LOVE my brethren!…peaceful unity of all God’s creation…that’s Jesus’ purpose…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 September 2012 Psalm 89:15

08 Sep 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 89:15.       Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a rainy morning in my area; excellent for sleeping in on this quiet, peaceful Saturday. And many of us will no doubt be doing just that, after a tiring week of work, especially the commuting aspect. I really don’t know how some people do it nuh; traffic jams in the mornings, traffic jams in the evenings, five days a week. Luckily, I’m usually going in the opposite direction, but when I do get caught in one, I realize the amount of time that’s wasted sitting there, with the highways looking like gargantuan parking lots. Recently a survey came out about the productivity, time and money that’s lost due to so much traffic congestion. I don’t remember the exact figure, but it surely was in the plenty millions of dollars. Can’t we, as supposedly the smartest of God’s creations, devise some means to get round that disastrous situation? One would certainly hope and think so. However, that task is too big and complicated for my simple mind, (smile) so let’s move on to something that I can handle. Well, a couple days ago, I found this white 5 by 4 inch card, with some big, bold, black letters printed on it. The truth is, I didn’t find it. It’s been sitting at the front of my desk for at a least a couple of years now. As soon as you enter the study, you ought to see it, but I’ve never paid any attention to it, until now. I guess now was the divine time for it to be noticed. And it says: ‘God’s tape measure goes around hearts, not heads.’ And isn’t that the awesome truth my people! God’s not interested in how big our heads are, but how big, generous and full of LOVE, mercy, compassion and forgiveness our hearts are. The problem though is that nowadays too many of our heads are way bigger than our hearts, which is a significant contributor to the sad state of our society. Pride and arrogance are much too prevalent in our current society.  But enough of my ruminating, let’s look at our Bit, which brings lots of joy to my heart cause it deals with music and the Lord, two of my most favourite subjects. ‘Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.’ Now yesterday, we saw how the Lord in Numbers 10 commanded Moses to make trumpets and to sound them for several purposes, from calling the faithful to worship, to offering sacrifices and going into battle. And we have two wonderful examples of music being used in battle. We all know about the episode with Joshua, when he captured Jericho. The Lord instructed him thus: ‘And ye shall compass (march around) the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of ram’s horns: and the seventh day, ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend (go up) every man straight before him.’ (Josh.6:3-5) And we all know it happened just as the Lord directed. We also have Jehoshaphat’s deliverance when several armies united to come against Judah. The Lord promised him victory through the rising of the Holy Spirit in one Jehaziel. ‘Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ (2 Chr.20:15) Jehoshaphat believed God’s promise and the next day when he went out with his army, he instructed them. ‘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 praise, the Lord set ambushments (ambushes) against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten (defeated).’ (2 Chr.20:20-22) The Lord made the opposing armies to fight amongst themselves and destroy each other, while Judah sang praises to His Holy Name. Then they collected much spoil, without raising a hand in battle. Oh what a wonderful God we serve and worship Friends! And all God’s people joyfully declared: ‘You can say that again!’ And I will: (smile) What a wonderful God we serve and worship Friends! And on that positive note we’ll end for today. More on this tomorrow if the Lord blesses us with the breath of life. Till then, please walk safely under His protective umbrella, singing and giving Him much thanks and praise. For that is the epitome of wisdom! Much LOVE!…there’s nothing that warms the cockles of God’s heart…like sincere songs of praise and worship…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 August 2012 Psalm 112:1

26 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 112:1.     Praise ye the Lord (Hallelujah). I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
 
Oh Friends, I was just sitting here asking the Lord to give me a good intro for today’s Bit, because I couldn’t come up with anything on my own, when suddenly this question popped into my mind. I’m going to ask it of all of us believers. When last have we sat down, leaned up or stood up or even laid down somewhere quiet with Jesus and really talked to Him, truly unburdened our hearts to Him, right down to the smallest detail, and have Him just listening, nodding and occasionally asking a leading question or giving us some insight into our problems? I’m not sure when last I did that, and I sure hope you all are better than me in that respect. I know I did it a lot last summer. Maybe that’s because my prostate cancer surgery had me more or less housebound for a couple of months. But I remember many a night I’d sit out on my front porch, mostly in the late hours, and Jesus would sit on the step below me, never above, and focus His full attention on whatever I was saying to Him, whether it was about my pain, my family, my finances, or the troubles of our ungodly world. But one thing, He was always attentive to my words and my feelings. And yuh know Friends, after those little tete a tetes, (sorry, couldn’t get the accents properly) I remember my spirit always being refreshed, my faith renewed and strengthened, regardless of the problems, because Jesus reasoned them out so simply and straightforwardly to me. But somehow, this year I don’t remember enjoying any of those small but serious chats with Jesus. I guess, since I’m more or less healthy now, I just got too busy with the affairs of the world, or simply figured I didn’t need Him that much again. What a sad mistake my brethren! And obviously my great loss too! Oh my people, please, I implore us not to ever get too busy or important to engage in that kind of heartening, enlightening conversation with Jesus. When we forgo genuine conversations with Jesus, we lose big time. And I’m not talking about prayer here, but just conversing with Him as a Friend, which is indeed one of the many portfolios He holds in our lives. And that’s another great thing about walking this earthly life with Jesus; He’s at once our Lord, Saviour, Advocate, Sibling and Friend! And I have to laugh yes, because from not knowing what to write, that one little seed, that grain of thought flowered into all that talk. (smile) However, let’s turn our attention now to our Bit: ‘Praise ye the Lord (Hallelujah). I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.’ Now that Friends, is wisdom of the highest order! And why so many of us neglect to follow it sincerely is a mystery to me. Hear what following our Bit leads to: ‘His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth (stands) for ever.’  (Ps.112:2-3) Now how many of us don’t want that for our friends, families and ourselves eh? We all want it, but apparently expect to get it without doing what it takes, not only to get it, but also to keep it; reverencing the Lord God Jehovah, plus delighting in, and doing His will. Instead we follow the rules of the world and try to kill ourselves working to amass whatever it is we desire, when there is indeed a better way; that prescribed by Jesus. Remember His promise that if we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, have that as our main priority, all the earthly things will be given to us, because our heavenly Father knows we need them. (Matt.6:33) And Friends those sentiments are found throughout the Good Book, even before Jesus declared them. Listen to just a couple instances. The longest chapter in the Bible begins with this declaration: ‘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. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.’ (Ps.119:1-3) Now why wouldn’t we follow those directives eh, especially when Psalm 128, the rewards of faithfulness, proclaims these great rewards? ‘Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands (fruit of thy labour): happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides (in the heart) of thine house: thy children like olive plants (luscious and plentiful) round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.’ (Ps.128:1-6) Oh my people, that isn’t rocket science, just basic common sense with a little wisdom thrown in for good measure! If our omnipotent Creator promises to bless us so greatly when we walk according to His will, why aren’t many many more of us doing it? Oh, I forgot, common sense doesn’t rule, or even exist anymore in these unrighteous times. But the foolish wisdom, as we saw yesterday, is now in ascendance, the same one that’s leading us down the broad highway to death, destruction, eternal separation from God, and eternity in Hades with Lucifer. Hn! The sad part Friends is that we all have to make individual decisions as to whom we’ll follow, and too many people are making the wrong one, opting to follow the sinful, unreliable, unpredictable world, rather than the true and seasoned plans of Jesus. I urge us all to get wise, get smart, get some common sense, whatever it takes and try to sincerely follow Jesus, for He is truly, the Way, the Light, the Life and the Truth of this dark, sorrowful world. Much LOVE!…that trite, age old adage…he who doesn’t hear will eventually feel…still holds true even today…
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 August 2012 Psalm 135:1

18 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

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

 Psalm 135:1. Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.
 
Oh my wonderful Friends in Christ Jesus, we’re on the cusp of another beautiful day on God’s great earth! And all God’s people raised a mighty and grateful shout of joy heavenward: ‘Thank You Lord!’ Now why are we still here breathing the earth’s air; refreshing in some places, almost poisonous in others, and not up yonder enjoying the excellent life eh? Because there’s still work to be done down here; lots of it too. That work includes spreading the Word of God, and the right and true way of Jesus, as He asked us to do in what’s termed the Great Commission. (Matt.28:19-20) So let’s roll up our sleeves and seriously get going on that nuh my people. A very large percentage of the world has never heard about the wonderful God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, nor of His Redeeming Son Jesus, neither of the divine Helper and Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and it’s our job to introduce them to all of that, help them to believe, then seek the kingdom of righteousness thereafter, so that their souls can be saved from eternal death and separation from God in the last days, that might soon be upon us. And how do we do that? By educating them on the Word, by encouraging them in difficult situations, by practical and/or physical help, and very importantly by being worthy examples of all that we preach and teach. And last, but definitely not least, let us not forget another important aspect of our faith walk; the aspect of Praise! Yes Friends, Praise is of the utmost importance in a believer’s life, but sadly, I don’t think we do enough of it, that’s why I chose our Bit today from Psalm 135, re the greatness of the Lord, and the vanity of idols. ‘Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.’ And why should we do that? The psalmist continues by telling us: ‘Praise ye the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant… For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.’ (Ps.135:3,5) Without a doubt my brethren, our God is a great God and worthy of our praise! It says so numerous times in the Good Book, with good reason too. Let’s look at a few of those scriptures, beginning with Psalm 50; a Psalm of Asaph, superscripted, God is the judge. And Asaph loudly and truthfully proclaims: ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation (conduct) aright will I show the salvation of God.’ (Ps.50:23) Yes my people, one of the reasons our God created us was to glorify Him, and one way of doing that is by showering Him and His Holy Name with praise! Meanwhile, Psalm 33, titled Praise to the Lord for his creation, opens with this wonderful declaration: ‘Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.’ (Ps.33:1) Once again Friends, we’re advised that praise to the Most High God Jehovah is right and comely for all those who worship and believe in Him. And isn’t that the living truth! Then Psalm 111, Praise the Lord for His care, tells us: ‘Praise ye the Lord (sing Hallelujah)! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the Lord are great, sought out of (studied by) all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth forever.’ (Ps.111:1-3) And the Psalms are not the only place where praise is declared unto God, though it’s found there more than anywhere else in the Good Book. Now listen to Daniel, after the Lord showed him the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king’s dream. ‘Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the season: he removeth kings, and setteth (raises) up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know (have) understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired (asked) of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.’ (Dan.2:19-23) Oh my brethren, isn’t that just cause for great praise? It surely is! Now listen to Moses immortalize praise for God in his song of victory over Pharaoh’s army: ‘Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods (mighty ones)? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?’ (Ex.15:11) And the answer to ALL those questions Friends, is an unequivocal NOBODY! And in Deuteronomy, Moses again encourages the Israelites to praise the God of their fathers. ‘Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave (hold fast), and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done terrible (awesome) things which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.’ (Deut.10:20-22) Most excellent reasons to serve and praise the Lord my people! And not to disappoint you all, I will end with a few words from Bruh David, (smile) who praised the Lord more than most. This comes from Psalm 52, caution to the prideful wicked. ‘Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness (destruction). But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God (see Jer.11:16): I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.’ (Ps.52:7-9) And all God’s people uttered a loud and glorious ‘Praise the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised! Amen!’ Yes Friends, our God sure is worthy to be praised. So let’s go out and prise Him today and for ever more nuh. That’s wisdom at its highest! Much LOVE!…praise to our great God…is what He rightly deserves… 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 July 2012 Revelation 21:4

24 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Revelation 21:4.    And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Oh Friends, I was planning to tell you all that yesterday was another scorching day in my area, with a strong, hot wind and barely a sprinkling of heavenly blessing late in the evening. But I’ve changed my mind now. (smile) I’m getting tired talking about the weather and ensuing drought which has already caused food prices to increase. So let’s leave that alone and turn to something positive. There’s nothing we can do about the drought or increased prices anyway. And what’s more positive than being alive and able to experience and enjoy another day on God’s great earth filled with his numerous and most delectable blessings? And all God’s people joyfully declared a loud and grateful: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Praise be to our Great God! May He reign forever! Amen! And again, Amen!’ As I said yesterday Friends, believers should be the happiest people on the earth since we have such a wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who not only sacrificed His holy, sinless life for a bunch of worthless sinners, but also is going to provide a wonderful home for our spiritual bodies when our physical ones die and return to the dust from which they were made. And in that glorious home, with Jesus presiding, there shall be no negative occurrences ever again. Wow! And that’s the living truth Friends, because it’s been promised in our Bit: ‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ And given such an awesome promise, it really amazes me that people read and hear about it, yet totally disregard it and all the other awesome promises contained in the Good Book. That’s why I keep saying that true wisdom has disappeared from our society, for any truly wise person would at least place a serious bet on, hitch their wagon to someone like Jehovah God, who’s made all those promises and faithfully brought all the necessary ones to fruition. We already know we can’t take our earthly possessions with us when we die, so why are we still so intent on amassing so much of it eh, only to leave it behind for others to fight over? I’m sure that all individuals on planet earth have experienced an experience which didn’t come from their natural, conscious thoughts or selves. That therefore means that there’s something more to humans than a physical body; some non-physical thing also exists within us. So my question is what happens to that non-physical subconscious element when the physical body dies? Does that die too? Not according to God’s Word! So wouldn’t it make sense to at least hedge our bets and pay some attention to our non-physical side? Of course! But certainly not the way the money-men have been foolishly and unfortunately hedging their bets. You can’t make something from nothing, unless you’re God, and that’s what they’ve been trying to do. Oh Friends, when you hedge your non-physical side with Jesus, and for that matter your physical side too, you CANNOT LOSE, because Jesus has guaranteed a good life in eternity for those who pledge themselves to Him! Now let’s look at some scriptures that uphold our awesome Bit. And what better place to begin than with Isaiah as he speaks God’s words re new heavens and a new earth: ‘For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But ye be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying.’ (Is.65:17-19) What a joyful promise my brethren! Meanwhile, in his exhortation to endurance, Bruh Paul tells his protégé Timothy: ‘But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.’ (2 Tim.1:10) Yes Friends, the gospel of Christ is where we need to go to find the good news about life and immortality! And to the Corinthians, Bruh Paul makes these unequivocal statements: ‘For he (Jesus Christ) must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.’ (1 Cor.15:25-26) Oh my people, yuh know what’s happening then? ‘And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death (eternal punishment). And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.’ (Rev.20:14-15) Yes Friends, that will be that, if your name’s not found recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life! You will be eternally separated from God; the worst thing that could ever happen to a spiritual being. So I’m pleading with us, begging us to get serious about our spiritual lives, if we don’t want to be eternally separated from our Creator. And we’ll end with the definitive word on the subject from Jesus. This is what He told the beloved disciple John, in His Revelation: ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.’ (Rev.1:17-18) Oh Friends, please listen to Jesus and act wisely, for your eternal salvation depends on it! Much LOVE!…he who holds the key to the door…is the master of those behind it…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 June 2012 Psalm 141:3

24 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 141:3.    Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a new day, and we’re still alive and kicking, full of God’s breath, vim and vigour! Praise the Lord for His goodness to the undeserving children of men! And thankfully, I don’t have any negative testimony to report re the use of my mouth, at least as far as I know. The Lord didn’t pull me up on anything either. So, so far, so good! (smile) But seriously though Friends, these days we talk far more than is necessary, and logic dictates that the more we do something, the more opportunities we have to make mistakes. Just listen to all the angry, resentful, evil words that are being spoken all over our rapidly declining world nuh! Many of them are leading to wars and strife between nations, between different levels of society, and unfortunately way too much in the foundation unit of our society, the family. Too often I’m hearing appalling stories about strife between parents and children, or between siblings that just boggles my imagination. At those times I thank my dear departed mother that I was an only child yes! That’s because in most of the cases there’s absolutely no need for the anger and resentment that’s tossed around, nor the dissension and divisions that are created, for they usually stem from greed and petty jealousies. I’ve been telling my children from they were old enough to understand, that if I see or hear them carrying on with such nonsense, I will come back from my grave to haunt them. And that still stands mih children! Now to help us understand how powerful our words are, listen to this quote from Rudyard Kipling, (1865-1936) the renowned British author of novels like ‘The Jungle Book,’ and ‘The Man Who Would Be King.’ He declared, even way back then: ‘Words are, of course, the most powerful drug, used by mankind.’ That’s the living truth my people! And can you imagine if it was that way almost a century ago, what it’s like today? There’s nothing else that has the awesome power to effectively change our minds, moods, feelings and attitudes, either for evil or good, like the words that trip off our tongues. That’s why so many of us are taken in by the many scam and fraud artists so prevalent today, plus politicians, preachers, teachers, friends, family and even virtual strangers. Oh yes Friends, there is mighty power in our words! But it’s vital, of the utmost importance that we learn to use words to bless and not curse, to bring about good, positive, godly results, not evil, negative ones, if we’re going to stop the decline of our civilization. Look at all the animosity between the world’s main religions,  with Father Abraham the source of them all, and also the many divisions and distinctions within each of them. The acrimony, resentment and outright hatred that exists all stem from inappropriate words, and can be traced back to inappropriate thoughts. But fortunately we don’t have to continue down that ungodly path, because as Norman Vincent Peale, the father of the Power of Positive Thinking, so rightly says: ‘Change your thoughts and you change your world.’  Gospel truth mih people, gospel truth! But how do we do that eh? Well, like every change we desire to make, by first invoking God’s help, one individual at a time.  By raising up serious prayers to heaven, along the lines of our Bit: ‘Set a watch (guard), O Lord, before my mouth; keep (watch over) the door of my lips.’ But then we have to consistently and diligently do our part; find and study the scriptures that pertain to the particular problem, and there are many that pertain to the mouth, then practice and persevere to bring about the necessary change(s). It won’t be easy Friends, especially in these evil, troubled, ungodly times, with so many distractions vying for our attention. But if we stand strong in our beliefs and keep in constant contact with our God, always asking for His guidance, there’s no doubt we’ll eventually rise to a height of excellence that’s pleasing to Him. Remember that we can do all things through and in association with Christ, who strengthens us. (Phil.4:13) Then we’ll be able to say like Bruh David, in his prayer for protection against oppressors: ‘Thou hast proved (tested) mine heart; thou hast visited (searched me out) in the night; thou hast tried (examined) me, and shalt find nothing (evil): I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. ‘ (Ps.17:3) Oh my brethren, when we can truthfully say something like that, then we’re on our way to glory, we’re using the awesome power in our words aright; in the service of God, not of Beelzebub! Much LOVE!…the power of our words…will only be used aright…when they’re guided by…the all-encompassing Power of the WORD…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 June 2012 Proverbs 1:20

15 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 1:20.    Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets.
 
Oh Friends, Praise the Lord that my day has begun so much better than it did yesterday. Yes, I have to give Him plenty thanks and praise because my arthritic pains and allergies aren’t acting up as badly as they did yesterday. Thank you so much Lord for that improvement! And those of you with similar dysfunctions will be able to empathize. That’s why we’ll declare with righteous optimism: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ Oh my people, it’s also Friday, the last day of the regular workweek, and this morning I heard an interesting take on our Friday theme. It went like this: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! Thank God is Friday, and ah going home to mih family this weekend! Thank God is Friday!’ – a sad and wistful but yet happy shake of the head accompanying the words. Yes Friends, many of us are forced to live away from our families during the week, and sometimes even months and years, so that we can provide a decent living for them. And believe me, it’s getting worse in that respect as jobs and futures in the outlying areas are drying up and forcing people to move to the big cities and towns, or anywhere they can find work. What a crying shame that in this big, still wealthy capitalistic society, which once prided itself on providing jobs for its people, has now replaced that noble pursuit with making the bottom line the Holy Grail, where if it means losing thousands of jobs in one’s homeland, just to save a penny, then the jobs are outsourced to cheaper jurisdictions, regardless of the shoddy quality or the unhealthy, evil, sweat shop conditions under which they’re then made, then shipped back home so that the jobless can buy them at still exorbitant prices. But the captains of industry don’t care that they’re destroying the fundamental foundation of their society. Once they can increase their profits and continue living their profligate, wasteful lifestyle, wherever they choose, they’re contented. However Friends, the most important thing to realize here, is that we’re staunch believers in Jesus Christ, and that with His wonderful help, we can handle anything that comes against us. Thus, this Friday morning, let’s chant down the evil Babylonian system with our Friday Chant. All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes mih people, with a LOVING and providential God as our leader and guide, nothing or no one can come against us with any evil doings. And because we know, that we know, that we know, as sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) would say, that Jesus sacrificed His holy, sinless life for us on the cross at Calvary, we can afford to stand strong in hope, faith, courage, belief and assurance that all will eventually be made right, for those who are called by Him to dwell in LOVE and unity. Ah mih people, the ole fella’s chuckling here because he doesn’t have a Bit as yet, but the Holy Spirit’s been guiding my pen this Friday morning, and like a good believer, I’m just following His lead. (smile) And it’s telling me to stop now and seek a suitable Bit. So, soon come. I’m back Friends! In roughly five minutes, cause I found the suitable Bit on the second page I looked at. And they trying to tell me that my God isn’t a living, hard working, helpful and faithful God! Steups! But here, from the pen of Cousin Sol is our Bit: ‘Wisdom crieth without (calls aloud in the streets); she uttereth (raises) her voice in the streets (plazas).’ Yes my brethren, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit is crying out to us all today, as our evil world gaily and foolishly sways evermore towards certain death and damnation, away from the great promises of Almighty God and a wonderful future of salvation and eternal life. Now let’s end with the solemn but true words of the Good Book, as Cousin Sol continues his discourse. ‘She (wisdom) crieth in the chief place of concourse (concourses), in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple (naive) ones, will ye LOVE simplicity (naivety)? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought (disdained) all my counsel, and would (have) none of my reproof.’ (Prov.1:21-25) Oh Friends, although those words were written thousands of years ago, there’s no doubt about their veracity and applicability to our society today. Please, let’s ponder them today and see how they apply to and affect our individual lives, then work with the Holy Spirit to wisely bring our lives into proper sync with the teachings of Almighty God, so that we can then go out and help others. More on this tomorrow, the Good Lord willing. Till then, please listen to the voice of wisdom, God’s Spirit, as it cries out to each of us today. Much LOVE!…when wisdom cries out…wise men sit up and take notice…
 

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