Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 February 2013 Job 8:13

23 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

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

Job 8:13.      So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.
 
Oh Friends, it’s another day in the life! However, for many down in the U. S. it’s going to be an extremely rough one, where they continue to dig out from another round of severe snowstorms, this one predominantly hitting the Central part of the country. I guess we can call this the year of the snow, for places that haven’t had snow in ages have experienced it this year. Even in parts of Southern California some snow fell, causing unaccustomed traffic congestion and the other niceties that snow brings, especially when you’re not accustomed to it. (smile) They were even pelting snowballs in Arizona instead of playing golf, because the courses were white and not green. Some places that have not fully recovered from previous snowfalls have again been inundated by the white stuff. But why are we seeing so much of it in such short periods eh? I’d like to put forward two theories. The first is climate change. We have screwed up the delicate balance of the planet with so much pollutants that it’s now coming back to haunt us in unstable, unusual weather patterns. Cut it whichever way you want, we can’t continue to put so much polluting stuff in our air, water and land and don’t expect some unusual reaction. And anyone who believes that, or eschews that position is a fool! Look at amount of known carcinogens we now have in our food, either to make it look pretty or stay fresh and last longer. Don’t you think that affects the delicate balance of our bodies too? I get angry when I hear about these cancer fundraisers and curing cancer. How can you cure something when you keep putting it in your food, water, land and atmosphere eh? But that’s a story for another day. But getting back to climate change. When last have we seen so much snow in North America eh? For the last five to ten years we’ve hardly had any, in comparison to what we used to have before. So much so that recently the ski resorts had to resort to snow making machines for longer periods than ever before. Now it seems as if it has turned around again, and they’re getting mucho snow. Oh Friends, our planet can stand a lot of pain, but like our human bodies it’s finely timed and tuned and continued abuse will eventually make it sick, just like it does to our human bodies. Our God didn’t make it to stand the kind of abuse we’re putting it through. That brings me to our second theory; that the unusual climate patterns and natural disasters we’re having in unusual places is partly the work of our God, in retribution for our very sinful state of ungodliness and disobedience to His Word. That dovetails very nicely with our Bit: ‘So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.’ We’ve seen over the centuries that societies that have gotten too big for their ‘britches’ and become sinful and ungodly, have eventually been cut down to size one way or another. The sad part is that most of the times there have been warnings, but the proud, evildoers have not paid them any attention. And I believe that what’s happening right now is God’s way of warning us. But are we paying attention? Certainly not! But there’s no doubt that we’re a very evil, sinful society, which has successfully turfed the Lord from its schools and public places, a society where the evildoers have the upper hand and revel in their wicked works without a thought for the consequences. And believe me Friends, there will be serious consequences for the immoral, ungodly morass into which our society has plummeted. Now let’s look at a few scriptures that foretell retribution for proud, continual disobedience. Job says it in spades when he talks of the hypocrite’s hopelessness. ‘For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God?’ (Job 27:8-10) I’m afraid the answer to all those questions my brethren is a resounding ‘NO!’ And if we turn to Psalm 112; Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, we’ll find graphic descriptions of both the righteous and wicked in the last two verses. In talking about the righteous, the psalmist boldly declares: ‘He hath dispersed (distributed abroad), he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn (strength) shall be exalted with honour. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with this teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.’ (Ps.112:9-10) Oh my fellow believers, please note carefully the great difference between the eventual outcomes of both sets of people. And we’ll go home with some extremely wise words of Cousin Sol, as he contrasts the doings of the wise and the foolish. ‘The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth (land). The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward (perverse, deceitful) tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness (perversity, deceitfulness).’ (Prov.10:27-32) Oh Friends, please remember that the laws and words of our God don’t change, that means if they were true in Cousin’ Sol’s time, then they’re still true today. So please let’s allow wisdom to be our guide. Let’s start cleaning up the pollutants from our unfortunate planet, our evil societies and our individual lives, beginning today, RIGHT NOW! Because if we don’t, we’ll only force the Lord to do it for us, and I can guarantee we won’t like His methods. Much LOVE!…where wisdom prevails…societies prosper…but where evil fools rule the roost…the societies perish…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 December 2012 Psalm 11;5

16 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 11:5.     The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
 
One more morning, one more day Friends, to enjoy the wonderful blessings of our marvellous God, down here on Planet Earth. And all believers said: ‘Praise the Lord!’ Yes my people, it is right and meet to give thanks and praise unto the God who cherishes, protects and provides for us. That means we ought to at least utter a simple thank you, when we arise on mornings, because without the Lord’s help and guidance we’d be cast adrift upon a wide and stormy sea of life, filled with countless difficulties. It is only through the working of His Holy Spirit in us, that we’re able to do the things we do, and enjoy the life we lead. However the Lord’s set it up that we can’t enjoy and appreciate the good life without adversity. As they say, you can’t appreciate the sun, until you’ve experienced rain, neither prosperity until you’ve suffered want. And the first part of our Bit reminds us of that. ‘The Lord trieth (tests) the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.’ Yes my brethren, the Lord puts all His children through tests, to find out what we’re made of, and consequently build our character, the idea being to make us as Christ-like as possible, because Jesus is the epitome of godliness, the standard against which we have to measure up. Obviously we’ll never be able to measure up to Him, but that’s the direction the Lord wants us to pursue. And unfortunately, the more you desire to walk with God, the more plentiful and difficult will be your tests. Look at how the Lord tested faithful servants like Noah, Job, Abraham, Moses, Bruh David, and even Jesus Himself. And we’ll look at some of Abraham’s testing today, because I think he had the most tests, as well as the harshest and most difficult, spread out over the longest period. In the first place, the Lord commanded him to leave his family in Haran when he was 75 years old, to go to goodness knows where. ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.’ (Gen.12:1-2) And Abraham didn’t argue, but with what was later termed faith, took his nephew Lot and his family and followed the Lord’s guidance into the land of Canaan. Over the years, all sorts of mishaps befell Abraham, but he stuck with the Lord, and despite his problems, the Lord kept on enriching him. Eventually, the Lord promised him a son from his wife Sarah in their old age.  (Gen.18) It took twenty something years for that promise to be fulfilled in Isaac. Then the Lord put him to the biggest test. ‘And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt (test) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. and he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou LOVEST, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.’ (Gen.22:1-2) Now in the natural, that didn’t make any sense, for how could Abraham become the father of many nations if he sacrificed Isaac, upon whom the promised depended? But nonetheless, as we read in Gen.22, Abraham did as he was told, and set out with Isaac. My Friends, please note Abraham’s answer to Isaac’s question as they depart. ‘Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering…. (Gen.22:7-8) Now here comes the really interesting and nerve racking part. ‘And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here I am. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.’ (Gen.22:9-12) Oh my brethren, how many of us would have even considered that directive, much less obeying it without a fuss? Not too many really. But obviously Abraham had dealt with the Lord long enough to know that God was faithful to His promises, and if He promised a multitude of descendants through Isaac, then something would have to give before he was sacrificed. And something did give. The Lord stopped Abraham, and instead provided a ram caught by his horns in a bush for the sacrifice. ‘And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh (the Lord will provide).’ And that’s where the term ‘the Lord is our provider’ comes from. Oh my brethren, I sincerely hope that we can be encouraged by Abraham’s story, because listen to the outcome: ‘And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of the heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed (descendants) as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.’ (Gen.22:15-18) Yes fellow believers, wondrous things like that occur when we listen to God’s directive and faithfully obey Him. Please let’s go out and do just that today, thereby showing our wisdom and understanding. Much LOVE!…to obey is better than sacrifice…and to hearken (listen) than the fat of rams… (1 Sam.15:22)
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 November 2012 Proverbs 11:10

23 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 11:10.    When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! The Friday that’s now becoming known as ‘Black Friday’, the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving. As usual, the U.S is busy exporting its very commercial culture, and sadly it’s now wreaking havoc in Canada. It’s forcing the local merchants to get into the nonsense too, having sales the same day, trying to match U.S. prices, to stop Canadians form cross border shopping, which takes a lot of money out of our economy. And as usual, it’s moving from the sublime to the ridiculous! What began a few years ago as early Friday morning shopping, has now morphed into late Thursday night shopping. That means you can’t even enjoy your Thanksgiving Day in peace, but have to rush through it, so you can get to the store and line up hours before it opens. And you wouldn’t like to see the wild, animalistic behaviour we put down; rushing and shoving and behaving real foolish. Ah Lord eh! Instead of mankind becoming more sensible and god-like with all the advances and amenities with which we’re blessed, we’re becoming dumber, more stupid and very evil minded. Oh fellow believers, please, let’s pray that this stupid, ignorant, evil behaviour that’s now clouding our world doesn’t go to its logical end – self-destruction – but someday soon we’ll come to our senses and, once and for all time, repudiate Lucifer and his evil doings, and find the God of our fathers once again. Anyway, some people are still joyfully shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Therefore let’s chant our Friday Chant to enable us to put the weekend in its proper perspective. As one vociferous, but 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.’ Yes mih people, that should cause us to tone down the weekend some, bring a modicum of circumspection to our activities. And the ole fella’s still giving plenty thanks, as I continue to write from the porch of my cosy cottage in Store Bay. I didn’t do much yesterday; slept out most of the day. I guess the body was really tired from the steady spate of activities since Monday. But I did get a dip in the salt after the sun set, and again, while floating in cross-like fashion, and looking up at the half moon, gave heartfelt thanks to our wonderful God for all His marvellous blessings. Oh Friends, I could really get addicted to that habit yes! (smile) And to raise the excitement, I bought some curry crab and dumpling with some T&T callaloo thrown in at a food booth at the Bay. Oh my people, was it ever tasty! The ‘nana’ (gravy from the curry crab) tasted like manna from heaven, just like I remembered it! Then late at night, while flipping through the channels  on the t.v. I came across the movie ‘Jesus of Nazareth’; an old Franco Zeferrelli production that hooked me. I hadn’t heard the Word for a few days, and regardless of how much you read it for yourself, hearing it takes you to another dimension, so to speak. It was so moving that at times it brought unbidden tears to my eyes. Surprisingly too, it’s the first movie I’ve watched in ages. Consider it then, another of our God’s mysterious movements. And what does all of that have to do with our Bit? Frankly Friends, I don’t know, because I don’t have a Bit as yet. But soon come, going to seek one now. Oh mih breddren, I’m back, less than two minute later! What a faithful God we serve and worship Friends! And as our Bit declares: ‘When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.’ Now that’s undeniable truth! We don’t have to look very far to see it. In whatever country, province, city, town or village you’re reading this, I know you can connect to it through personal experience. That brings up the rather important question of why are the righteous allowing the wicked to run so much of our world, and consequently causing so much pain, suffering and heartache? One would think that we’d get rid of them as quickly as possible. But unfortunately, the reality is totally different. And not because Lucifer has power over this world of darkness, we should allow his evil minions to rule over us. Through Jesus, who has conquered death, the grave and hell, with His sacrificial death and resurrection, we have the awesome power to run Beelzebub and his wicked cronies out of town. But we’re either too lazy, too comfortable in our prosperous lifestyle, or simply too timid and afraid to do so. Listen to Cousin Sol again on the subject. ‘When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden (will be sought after).’ (Prov.28:12) Oh Friends, we all know the truth in that statement, yet we allow the wicked to rise in power over us. Oh my brethren, it’s time to change that state of affairs in our world. It’s time to implement righteous rule, so that our world can derive positive benefits. As Cousin Sol further declares: ‘When the righteous are in authority (increased), the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn (groan, suffer).’ (Prov.29:2) And we all know that people all over the world are moaning and groaning, suffering, in great misery, because the wicked are ruling. Please Friends, let’s do something to change it nuh. Remember that with our God, all things are possible, but we have to get up off our fat fannies and do our part too. The Lord’s not going to do it all for us. So please, today, let’s ponder the level of our involvement in making a better and more godly world, and do our best to improve our involvement, if it’s only by a small amount, for without our strong stand of faith, all will eventually be lost, and we definitely don’t want to disappoint Jesus, to break His gentle heart anymore than we’re already doing, by letting that happen. Much LOVE!…we can only stand up for Jesus…by faithfully obeying the trumpet’s call…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 September 2012 Psalm 120:1

28 Sep 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 120:1.     In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. 

Oh Friends, I must say that I’m not as bright and bubbly as I was yesterday because my allergies are acting up. They had me feeling real lousy earlier on with the sneezing and sniffling, but I eventually took some medication and they are settling down now. And though I’m still not 100 %, my heart is still encouraged in our God. Praise Him for His tender mercies! Nonetheless, today is Friday, and as my buddy James remarked when I asked how he was doing: ‘Rough mih brother. Ah work out mih soul case this week. But yuh know what… Thank God is Friday yes, and the weekend soon come!’ Yes Friends, the weekend is here for us to rest up and refocus ourselves. So as always, let’s chant our Friday Chant with much enthusiasm nuh, while eagerly looking forward to the couple of days off. All together as one 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.’ Ah mih people, we have to keep our lives totally focused and in the right perspective at all times, otherwise we’re liable to fall prey to the evil of Beelzebub. But even when that happens, we ought not to fear, for as our Bit so faithfully declares: ‘In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.’ Yes my brethren, that’s exactly what we need to do when we’re under any stress or strain. The psalmist, befuddled by the wrong that was being done to him, continues: ‘Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.’ (Ps.120:2) Ah Friends, many of us have personally experienced the harsh and often wrong criticism, ridicule and deceitfulness cause by others spreading lies and false innuendo. And we know that it hurts a lot, for as Willie Shakespeare claims in one of his plays – I don’t remember which one – if you steal my purse, you’re stealing trash; but my good name, my integrity, now that’s a horse of a different colour. So our good name and integrity do mean a lot, especially to believers operating under Jesus’ triumphant banner. We cannot allow our character to be besmirched, because it reflects badly on our Saviour and our faith. But the wise thing to do, if and when that happens, or any calamity at all strikes us, is to first cry out to God for help. I can tell you that from personal experience, since there are many times I’ve cried out to Him for one reason or another, some of them when I couldn’t find a Bit or figure out what to write. And the good news Friends, is that our God has always helped me to come up over my problems. And on the matter of crying out to Him in distress, there’s no better example than Jonah in the belly of the great fish. Though Jonah was disobedient to God’s directive, spending some time in the fish’s stomach woke him up to the reality that his God was both powerful and merciful. ‘Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly, And said, I cried by reason (because) of my affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.’ (Jon.1:1-2) So Friends, if the Lord could forgive Jonah for his disobedience when he cried out in distress, why won’t He hear our cry when we’re wronged and persecuted eh? No reason whatsoever my people! Bruh David hit the nail on the head when he declared in Psalm 34, the Lord hears the righteous: ‘The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry…The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (Ps.34:15,17) And nobody knew that better than Bruh David. Then again in Psalm 65 he’s correct, when he says: ‘O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.’ (Ps.65:2) And that’s the gospel truth Friends, as Isaiah proclaims on the Lord’s behalf. ‘For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.’ (Is.66:22-23) Oh my people, there’s our God talking, and He doesn’t talk simply for talk sake, but because He wants us to get to know Him and His ways. And one of the things He sincerely wants us to know and do is to come to Him in prayer; cry out to Him when disaster strikes, for He’s totally interested in our welfare, the way a good, kind and merciful God should be about His subjects. So Friends, please don’t be afraid or ashamed to call upon His Holy Name when things get rough, for that’s what He desires of us. Remember that even Jesus cried out to Him when the going got tough, so why shouldn’t we, mere mortals that we are. Much LOVE!…what’s the purpose of having a God…if you can’t cry out to Him for help in times of trouble…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 September 2012 Jeremiah 33:3

06 Sep 2012 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 33:3.    Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
 
Ah mih people, it’s a new day, but the ole fella doesn’t have anything new to titillate your senses with in my intro. (smile) Oh there’s lots of stuff I could write, but unfortunately it wouldn’t fit with the God-inspired theme that we want to perpetuate in the Scrip-Bit. So I guess I’ll just have to stick with the tried and true approach, telling you about giving thanks and praise to Almighty God for showing us the extraordinary favour of seeing another beautiful day on planet earth. And I don’t care how bad our problems might be down here on earth, none of us are really ready to go and join Him up there in the wild, blue yonder. And I would be certainly amiss in my duties if I didn’t remind us of all the wonderful blessings that the Lord’s prepared to shower down on us this balmy Thursday in September 2012. Remember too, that these mercies and blessings are new every single day. Our God is so great and generous that He insists on bestowing new stuff on us every day. No going back into yesterday’s bag of goodies. So you can be assured that every day you spend on this evil and troubled earth, you will be endowed with new favour, new manna from above. As they say, yesterday is past, tomorrow hasn’t yet arrived, but today, the present is here, so enjoy today’s presence and presents. No need to worry about tomorrow, for Jesus promised that tomorrow would look after itself. (Matt.6:34) A new batch of presents will arrive from our heavenly Father everyday, if we continuously seek to do His will. So let’s stop worrying and being anxious about out troubles, neither of those things will help, but instead make our situations worse. To solve our earthly problems, we need to do as our Bit says: ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty (inaccessible) things, which thou knowest not.’ And Friends, that’s the gospel truth. Many of us can testify to that. And yuh know my people, our God is so wonderful that long before I began walking seriously with Him – though I didn’t live the way He wanted, I never forgot His Word – there are several occasions that I can remember where I was in a serious jam, from which I couldn’t extricate myself in my own strength, and I cried out to Him, and He did provide solutions to my problems. Yes Friends, we can all tell stories of crying out to our heavenly Father in times of dire need and having Him respond with LOVE and mercy. So why then are we still so reluctant to truly follow Him eh? I guess deep down, our basic human nature still desires the things of the world, the glitter and glamour still capture our fleshly senses, and with Lucifer’s able assistance and prodding, those fleshly lusts rise up above the spiritual common sense. But Friends, nobody knows our fallen nature better than the One who created us. And the wonderful thing about it all is that He doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but He does expect us to try and elevate ourselves in His Word and His Will, to try and become more like His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus, our shining example. So when we occasionally make a mess of things, we shouldn’t be too proud to call on Him for help, especially since He’s really the only one who can offer us lasting help. Listen to this wonderful promise He made to the people of Judah, through Jeremiah, after severely punishing them for their gross disobedience. ‘For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I have toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken (listen) unto you.’ (Jer.29:10-12) And my brethren, we all know that our ever-faithful God, faithfully fulfilled that promise. It’s also a promise that still stands and holds good for us today my people! Our amazing God only has good thoughts towards us; thoughts of peace and prosperity. But we first have to engage Him in conversation and communication. When we do our part, He will do His. Hear how Bruh David says it in Psalm 145, re the Lord is gracious. ‘The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy (gracious) in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.’ (Ps.145:17-19) And Bruh David certainly knew about the Lord’s goodness and graciousness from personal experience! So please Friends, let’s turn our thoughts and our hearts towards Almighty God nuh. He is the One who created us, and only in Him, through the sacrificial lamb, Jesus Christ, can we find that sense of true peace, LOVE and prosperity, for which all of us are seeking. That’s the ultimate wisdom for this, and every age! Much LOVE!…and ye shall seek me…and find me…when ye shall search for me…with all your heart… (Jer.29:13)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 August 2012 Psalm 37:8

20 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 37:8.    Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

It’s Monday morning Friends! And all God’s people jumped out of bed with abundant joy in their hearts, a sweet song of praise on their lips, and the sincere intention to go out into the new work week and diligently work in Jesus’ Holy Name! Wow! Now wouldn’t that be something mih people! The evil doers wouldn’t be able to stop us. They’d drop like flies in honey, and once we had their undivided attention, we could teach and show them all about our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Oh what marvellous gifts of dreams and imagination that our Creator built into us eh! And He gave them to us so that we could imagine sensational scenarios like the whole world coming to know and accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, and to dream those big, beautiful dreams of Him not losing even one single, human soul to Beelzebub. Now those are not impossible happenings Friends, since nothing is impossible if we work with Jesus. However, we believers have to first believe them, see them through our eyes of faith, then go out and diligently work towards them. However, until we all reach that high point of maturity, where we look forward to Mondays, (smile) we’ll just have to continue singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get our faith and our adrenalin in motion. So all together now, in loud, enthusiastic, sincere voice, 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!’ Now didn’t that get the motor running? On a Monday morning, many of us are like a cold car engine on a winter’s morn, where the oil is heavy and unwieldy, and won’t flow smoothly until the engine runs for a few minutes and warms it up. Well consider ourselves warmed up now, with minds, bodies and hearts all beating in an even tempo, in tune with Christ’s song, and His orchestral direction. In other words my brethren, we’re ready to face the evil world, and fight to the death for Jesus! And our Bit provides some wisdom essential for us to do just that. ‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm).’  Oh Friends, that’s some of the best advice we can ever get! It’s very appropriate for every aspect of our earthly journey; home, school, work, and even play. Bruh Paul rephrased our Bit thus to the Ephesians: ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph.4:26-27) Meanwhile, Bruh David, in Psalm 4; and evening prayer of trust in God, puts it this way. ‘Stand in awe (tremble), and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.  Selah.’ (Ps.4:4) And the author of Psalm 119, had this to say on the subject. ‘Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ (Ps.119:11) Oh Friends, those are all strong truths for believers to establish in their faith walk. Now here’s Cousin Sol’s advice on the topic. ‘Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end (a hereafter); and thine expectations (hope) shall not be cut off.’ (Prov.23:17-18) Oh my people, if we follow that wise advice, then we’ll surely cut down on our anger, and consequently give Lucifer less opportunity to invade our lives. And if you think that’s not so, then listen to the psalmist Asaph when he didn’t follow it in Psalm 73, the mystery of prosperous wickedness. ‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I had almost stumbled); my steps had well-nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (Ps.73:1-3, 17) Yuh see mih breddren, Asaph didn’t understand the end of the wicked, until he got in serious touch with his godly side. So it’s very possible for even the most righteous to slip and fall if we’re not careful, for the enemy is always on the prowl, and he’s also very smart and versatile in his trickery. And there’s no better way to end than with the opening verse of Psalm 37, the true state of the wicked,  from which our Bit is taken. ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness).’ (Ps.37:1-3) Wise words indeed from Bruh David! Please Friends, let’s inwardly digest them, then put them into diligent action nuh, so that our earthly lives will be much improved. That’s wisdom for all the ages! Much LOVE!…abide in me…and I in you…as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself…except it abide in the vine…no more can ye…except ye abide in me… (John 15:4)
 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 March 2012 Psalm 41:13‏

15 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

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

 Psalm 41:13.    Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

Oh Friends, it didn’t take long for the crazies to come out of the woodwork; the fast, loud cars and loud music, the motor bikes, and the skimpy clothing. As though summer’s really here. But I guess when the weather inhibits one from doing those outdoor things for long periods of time, then the first, or any opportunity at all, is not to be disregarded. And you certainly won’t hear me complaining about the beautiful weather, cause it’s what my arthritic bones need. Now we’re only missing the sea and sand. (smile) And I’m not worried about that either, because I know in God’s good time, I will certainly get that too. I even went for a walk yesterday afternoon on my wonky knees. Wow! Wonders never cease, but daily they increase! And Friends, if we sit down and really look at out lives, we’ll find that that is the gospel truth! With each passing day the Lord does more wondrous things in our lives. For that, let’s give Him some thanks and praise: ‘Oh Lord God Jehovah, we the undeserving children of men, do praise and glorify Your Holy Name, and give You much thanks for looking after our earthly needs. We pray that we will keep on being faithful to You, as You are to us, and that our communion with the Holy Trinity will continue right through to eternity. On the precious, spilt blood of Jesus, Your wonderful Son and our Saviour we pray this. Amen!’ Yes Friends, if the Lord wasn’t looking after us, imagine how much more difficult our circumstances would be. That’s why it’s so important for us to stay under the protective umbrella of His LOVING-kindness, His mercy and forgiveness, and at all and any appropriate time give Him the thanks and praise for which He is eminently worthy. Praise like our Bit staunchly proclaims: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.’ Please note the two Amens. That shows how truly heartfelt Bruh David’s blessing is. Those words eventually become a doxology; a church formula for praising God. The psalm itself is about abuse and assurance: ‘Blessed is he that considereth the poor (helpless, powerless): the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing (sick bed): thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness (restore him in his sick bed).’ (Ps.41:1-3) Oh my people, how can we not be eternally grateful to a Deity who treats us with such tender mercies eh? And Cousin Sol follows in Bruh David’s footsteps in Psalm 72, The reign of the righteous king, one of only two Psalms he wrote. The other is Psalm 127. In Psalm 72, Cousin Sol joyfully declares: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.’ (Ps.72:18-19) Now those two men certainly had lots to be thankful for, just like we have, and they voiced their pleasure and their trust in the God of their fathers publicly and vociferously! Oh Friends, are we doing that too? Are we giving our great and gracious God public and enthusiastic thanks for all His wondrous works on our behalf? I sure hope so, else we’d be short-changing our wonderful Lord. And that’s one thing we never want to do, because if He ever stops blessing us, then ‘crapaud will truly smoke we pipe;’ much more calamity will certainly befall us. Ethan the Ezrahite, in Psalm 89, his great contemplation on God’s sure promises to Bruh David, also invokes the blessing on God at the end. ‘Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.’ (Ps.89:52) Note again, not one, but two Amens. Then in Psalm 106, Israel sins against God’s LOVE, the psalmist ends with the same message: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. (Hallelujah).’ (Ps.106:48) And most fittingly, the last Psalm, #150, is one that encourages praise, and ends with a slightly different but still reverent form of the doxology: ‘Praise ye the Lord (sing Hallelujah). Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness…Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. (sing Hallelujah).’ (Ps.150:1-2, 6) Oh Friends, right in that last, simple verse is the eternal hope for our future. Our future depends entirely on our praise, thanks, reverence, glorification, worship, appreciation and obedience to our God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I cannot stress enough the importance of doing those things which please Him. So today, please, let’s all take some extra and some special time, especially in this Lenten Season, to show God that we really and truly do LOVE and appreciate Him. It’s the least we can do, in return for all that He’s done, and is still doing for us. Much LOVE!…all our God asks of us…is true reverence and undying LOVE…
 

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