Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 January 2013 Proverbs 27:2

10 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 27:2.     Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

Oh Friends, this is the day the Lord has made, let us all rejoice and be glad in it nuh, as our Saviour Jesus Christ taught us! And all God’s children declared a loud and joyful: ‘All thanks and praise be to our heavenly Father, who created us, LOVES us unconditionally, and has prepared a resting place in heaven for us, after the trials and tribulations of this earth!’ Yes Friends, as believers we’re called to be truly grateful for all our great God has done, is doing, and will do for us. However, some of us, in our misguided attitudes, believe that we are masters of our own fate, and having done some extraordinary deed, and even sometimes nothing remarkable at all, insist on beating our chests in pride, arrogance and boastfulness. But my people that’s one of the worst things we can ever do, for our God despises the sin of pride and arrogance possibly more than anything else, because that makes Him unnecessary and unwanted in our lives. And the wise words of Cousin Sol in our Bit today, clearly warn us of that serious shortcoming. ‘Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.’ Ah my brethren, that’s a form of humility, which we as believers are expected to embrace, but unfortunately that word ‘humility’ and the resultant behaviour or attitude don’t hold much water in today’s society, where it’s about blowing our own horn, our own trumpet, boasting about our accomplishments and/or possessions. And as we all know, the Good Book is filled with passages that decry such behaviour, as one that doesn’t sit well in God’s sight. Let’s look at some of those scriptures, starting with Psalm 101, Bruh David talking about a commitment to holy living: ‘Whoso privily (secretly) slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off (destroy); him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer (endure).’ (Ps.101:5) Now let’s turn to Cousin Sol, for he mentions the abhorred attitude several times in Proverbs, and if he didn’t consider it important, I doubt he would have spoken about it so often. In this first passage, he comes around the subject from a different angle. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on unto thine own understanding.’ (Prov.3:5) Now that’s where all the proud, arrogant and boastful fall down; they end up trusting in their own understanding. Then he talks about the seven deadly sins which are an abomination to the Lord. And you know what’s the first? ‘A proud look…’ (Prov.6:17) Yes Friends, a haughty look is certainly distasteful to our God! And in Proverbs 8; wisdom is everlasting, Cousin Sol declares: ‘The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy and the evil way, and the froward (perverse) mouth, do I hate.’ (Prov.8:13) Meanwhile, in Proverbs 16, he solemnly proclaims: ‘Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.’ (Prov.16:5) Oh Friends, that’s gospel truth without a doubt! And moving on to Proverbs 25, we hear him declare: ‘It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search (seek) their own glory is not glory.’ (Prov.25:27) And isn’t that a fact people! If we seek and declare our own glory, then it’s not real glory, for glory is something that is heaped on us by others, not by our own selves. The dictionary describes ‘glory’ as ‘exalted renown, honourable fame, special distinction, adoring praise and thanksgiving.’ Those are all things which can only be truly worthwhile when others give them to us. And if you don’t believe Bruh David and Cousin Sol, then listen to Isaiah. Here he speaks about the day of the Lord. ‘The lofty (proud) looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.’ (Is.2:11-12) Oh Friends, it couldn’t be any clearer than that! And we’ll close with another passage from Isaiah, re the woes pronounced on the faithless. ‘And the mean man (people) shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgement, and God that is holy shall be sanctified (hallowed) in righteousness.’ (Is.5:15-16) Now my fellow believers, having heard the negative consequences of being filled with foolish pride, arrogance and boastful behaviour, I surely hope that we will tone down, if not completely disavow our own proud, arrogant and boastful attitudes, because NOTHING we do, comes from our own strength and wisdom, but is always enabled by that of our Creator, our omnipotent God and LOVING, merciful, forgiving Heavenly Father. So let’s take in front, before in front takes us nuh. (smile) That’s the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!…the world’s wisdom beats its chest and says…I am great…but heavenly wisdom teaches humility and declares…GOD is great…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 January 2013 Song of Solomon 2:4

09 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

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

Song of Solomon 2:4.     He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was LOVE!
 
Top o’ the morn Friends! Unfortunately my neck of the woods – dark, dreary and snowy – doesn’t engender enthusiasm to the physical sight and senses. In fact it’s rather depressing to keep seeing that sort of bleak, uninviting landscape everyday. However, when we look through our eyes of faith, we can plainly see calm, clear, blue waters gently breaking over golden brown, sandy sea shores, with a brilliant, hot sun reigning supreme in a cloudless blue sky. And why is that my people? Because of God’s LOVE for us! He puts that unnatural ability in our hearts through faith in His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And from the moment I read this poem in Dr. Robert Schuller’s ‘Hour of Power Devotional earlier on, I just knew that I had to share it with you. And you’ll realize why, because it’s titled: ‘GOD LOVES ME!  Thank you, Lord, for this holy sentence, this good news, this happy report, this exciting thought, this graceful truth, this fantastic lesson: God LOVES me! Even when I’m at my worst – God LOVES me. Even when my faith is dim – God LOVES me anyway! It’s incomprehensible and fantastic! Thank you, Father: Amen.’ Oh Friends, one of the reasons I like Dr. Schuller’s writings is because they are always full of bright, and strong faith, with vibrant expectations of good things to come, using encouraging words and uplifting language! One of the serious problems with believers these days is that we’re too dreary and dead, lacking in real life, our enthusiasm doesn’t come out in our prayers and our every day lives the way it should. Too many of us still believe that to be a true Christian we must walk around cowed, with head bowed, shoulders limp and low, and a sad, ugly countenance. I guess that’s our erroneous definition of being humble. But Friends, I’m here to tell us that that’s a most blatant lie that Lucifer perpetrates to get us to lose our joy in Jesus. Remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Neh.8:10) And if we lose it, then what do we have? Nothing! Please my brethren, with all the good things Jesus did for us; dying that ugly, horrible death on the cross to pay for our sins, being resurrected and ascending into heaven so that we can have salvation and eternal life, plus the wonderful promises of never forsaking us and always being with us through the wonderful aura of His Holy Spirit, Christians should be the happiest and most cheerful people in the universe. We should be laughing, enthusiastic and exuberant every minute of every day. Even when we’re asleep, there should be a beatific smile on our faces, because we’re dreaming of heaven and God and all the great things that await us there. Sadly though, too many of us allow the cares and concerns of this evil, ungodly world to drive us to doom and gloom. Remember Friends, Jesus said that in this world we’d surely find trials and tribulation, but since He’s already overcome it, we should therefore be filled with peace and good cheer and enjoy the benefits of His sacrifice. (John 16:33) Otherwise all His sacrifices would have been in vain. I know we can’t always go around grinning like Cheshire cats, but we certainly need to be more alive, enthusiastic, encouraging and expectant than a lot of us are. Oh Friends, the greatest thing in this world is LOVE! And LOVE brings joy! No wonder in our Bit, Cousin Sol describes the bride’s admiration of her groom with these choice and moving words of truth. ‘He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was LOVE!’ Aye people, that’s exactly what our Creator, the Lord God Jehovah has done for us! He brought us to the banqueting house of salvation and eternal life through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ. For that we should be eternally grateful and joyful. Remember the Good Book says that ‘God is LOVE; and he that dwelleth (abides) in LOVE dwelleth (abides) in God, and God in him.’ (1 John 4:16) LOVE is the dominant characteristic of our God, and should therefore be also the dominant characteristic of the true believer. Now let’s hear some appropriate scripture on LOVE, it’s power and how it ought to cause us to live. And we’ll begin with Cousin Sol, from his Song. ‘Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for LOVE is strong as death; jealousy is cruel (severe) as the grave: the coals (flames) thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench LOVE, neither can the floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance (wealth) of his house for LOVE, it would utterly be contemned (despised). (Song 8:6-7) Yuh see that mih people? LOVE is as strong as death, you can’t drown it, nor buy it! Now listen to ole Jeremiah. When talking about the restoration of Israel, he boldly declares: ‘The Lord hath appeared of old (from afar) unto me, saying, Yea, I have LOVED thee with an everlasting LOVE: therefore with LOVING-kindness have I drawn thee.’ (Jer.31:3) Oh mih breddren, again we see the power of LOVE, and the Lord’s LOVING-kindness that He uses to envelop us, to wrap us in His LOVING embrace. Meanwhile, in talking about the Lord’s LOVE for faithless Israel, the prophet Hosea says of God: ‘I drew them with cords of a man (gentle cords), with bands of LOVE: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws (necks), and I laid meat unto them (stooped and fed them).’ (Hos.11:4) But foolishly they refused to be drawn to Him. Please my people, please don’t let us follow that foolish path of disobedience, cause there will only be severe punishment later on. Come to think of it, that’s what we’re facing right now; punishment for turning away from the God of our fathers and embracing the evil Lucifer and the worldly lusts of the flesh. Now hear Jesus, as He lambastes the hypocrite Pharisees: ‘But I know you, that ye have not the LOVE of God in you.’ (John 5:42) Yes Friends, if the LOVE of God is not in us, then we’re not His children. And we don’t have the space or time for one of the most profound writings on LOVE; 1 Corinthians 13, titled ‘The Way of LOVE,’ from the godly pen of Bruh Paul. But I ask us all to read it today, so that we can get a new or refreshed look and attitude towards the world’s most wonderful characteristic – LOVE. And you know that, whenever possible, we like to give Jesus the final, definitive word on the subject. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) Oh Friends, that says it all. Our Leader commands it, so please let’s go out and do it nuh. It will certainly enrich our souls more than we can ever imagine. Much LOVE!…and now abideth faith…hope…LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE… (1 Cor.13:13)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 December 2012 Luke 1:45

21 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

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

Luke 1:45.    And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance (fulfillment) of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Oh Friends, it’s Friday, and many people around the world are joyfully shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But many in the northern climes are not shouting that this morning. Instead, they’re crying out ‘Oh Lord, why this bad weather?’ Yes Friends, the first serious snowstorm of the season has already lashed the U.S. Midwest, causing all sorts of damage and inconvenience, and it’s moving north to Canada. Some places in Northern Ontario and Quebec have already seen it’s hideous face and felt its forceful blow. Meanwhile, we in Southern Ontario are experiencing freezing rain, which can change to anything later in the day. So please be careful my brethren when you take to the roads today, for if they’re not snow covered, they will most likely be icy. Take your time and drive with extra care and caution. It’s only four more days to the great celebration of Christmas, the Birth of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You don’t want to miss it completely, or be lying in the hospital, all broken up, unable to enjoy it. So again, please drive and also walk safely. And as always, to help us get the weekend started in proper perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant, in loud, serious voice. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes my people, we need to be somewhat circumspect about our actions over the weekend, especially this long Christmas holiday, where some people might not be going back to work until next Thursday. Remember that drunk or sober, we have to mind our business and don’t give the always-lurking enemy any chance to invade our innermost parts and cause confusion, cause that’s what he’s all about. Stealing our joy and putting us in God’s bad book is his delight. So let’s do our best to remember the real reason for the season, the holidays, as so many now neutrally call it; the Birth of Jesus is what this time is about, not shopping and mere merry-making. Please treat the time with the reverence and solemn esteem it deserves. And today we’ll continue with Mary’s Story. Our Bit though comes from words spoken by her cousin Elisabeth, when Mary visited her. Let’s listen to them closely, and let them take root in our hearts and minds, for they are very important. ‘And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance (fulfillment) of those things which were told her from the Lord.’ Ah Friends, that statement, though at the time pertained particularly to Mary, today it applies to all of us. For blessed are all those who believe, and not necessarily what the Lord has told us, but believe on Jesus’ Name period. As Jesus said to the doubting disciple Thomas, who refused to believe that Jesus was truly resurrected until he touched the wounds in His side and palms. ‘Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’ (John 20:29) That’s a blessing for all us believers today my brethren, for we never saw Jesus back then, but we believe. Please, let’s keep on believing, because Jesus is still alive and working for us all. And if we don’t faint, don’t give up, in due course, we’ll receive the rich rewards of salvation and eternal life that He’s offering to all who believe and stand strong in faith. And we’ll end today with one of the many beautiful songs of praise found in the Good Book. It’s Mary’s joyous anthem to a great God, who looked down on her with unspeakable blessings and mercy. It’s called ‘The Magnificat.’ And according to the scholars, it’s based on the first word of the Latin translation (the Vulgate). And since Jesus’ coming was in fulfillment of Old Testament promises, it’s suitably rich in Old Testament imagery. ‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate (lowly state) of his handmaiden (maidservant): for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats (thrones), and exalted them of low degree (the lowly). He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.’ (Luke 1:46-55) Oh Friends, imagine a teenaged girl conjuring up that wonderful imagery and writing such moving words two thousand years ago nuh! The Holy Spirit must surely have been with her, as he is with us today. So let’s see if we can rise to that level of faith, especially this Christmas season. It’s our bounden duty as believers. Much LOVE!…true belief is not only an internal process…but must also be shown by appropriate external actions…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 December 2012 Luke 1:28

20 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

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

Luke 1:28.    And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

And then it was Thursday, Friends! Another bright and sparkling morning with brand new blessings, mercies and forgiveness for God’s people. And they all rose up with a mighty shout of joy, praising and thanking their heavenly Father for allowing them to see another soulful day on His wonderful creation called Earth. It’s also only 5 days till Christmas Day, when we celebrate the incarnate Birth of our gracious Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, which ushered in the most welcome, beneficial and amazing time in human history. And it’s the way that Birth came about that we’re still talking about today. Our Bit got the whole thing moving. ‘And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail (Rejoice), thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.’ And Mary was really blessed my people, to be chosen by Almighty God to be the earthly Mother to His Son. What greater honour could there be eh? None really. And in her behaviour and attitude she shows some of the reasons why she was chosen. Now please note that some months before the angel came to Mary to tell her about her remarkable blessing, he visited her relative by marriage, Zechariah, a priest in the temple, with his own good news. ‘And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zechariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.’ (Luke 1:11-12) Yuh see the difference Friends, in just the physical response to Mary’s breaking news. Zechariah, the older and supposedly wiser man, a big time priest in God’s house, was afraid, while the young, inexperienced girl Mary, was simply concerned about the machinations of the promise, it’s human impossibility. ‘But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zechariah: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children (sons) of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people for the Lord.’ (Luke 1:13-17) Yes Friends, another miracle was being wrought, so that the forerunner, the messenger, ‘the one crying in the wilderness,’ re repentance and salvation, would be born. ‘And Zechariah said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken (advanced) in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings (this good news). And behold, thou shalt be dumb (mute), and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season (own time).’ (Luke 1:18-20) And he was dumb until John the Baptist was born. Notice the difference in reactions: Zechariah couldn’t believe what was still humanly possible, while Mary believed without much hesitation or resistance what was humanly impossible. Now tell me whose faith was greater? Mary’s of course! And what does she do after the angel leaves? She goes and visits her cousin, the hitherto barren Elisabeth, now some six months pregnant with John the Baptist. And check out this intense scene, when Mary enters Elisabeth’s house and greets her. ‘And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation (greeting) of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence (why) is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that (who) believed: for there shall be a performance (fulfillment) of those things which were told her from the Lord.’ (Luke 1:41-45) Oh Friends, don’t you just LOVE how our God operates in such mysterious and interesting ways? Everything He does, ties in with a purpose. No loose strings are left to mar the process. And what I like about the story is that Elisabeth seems to have believed it without any qualms either, instead rejoicing in the wonderful blessing that was being poured down on her young cousin Mary. And I guess that’s why Jesus hung out with more women in his day, than was normal for a Jewish man; He recognized the greater power in them to accept supernatural things, which put another way, means greater faith. Note, He never had to badger them to believe, as He had to do with the disciples, even though they walked with Him every day and saw all the unbelievable stuff He did. Just look at the faith shown by Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters, when Jesus showed up several days after his death. ‘Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.’ (John 11:21-22) Mary’s reaction was the same; ‘Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.’ (John 11:32) Ah mih breddren, enough for us to contemplate today. But remember, whatever we do, or whatever happens to us as believers in Jesus Christ, it all comes down to faith; the level of our faith will either make us weak and fearful like Zechariah, or strong and confident like the women we’ve been talking about. That’s why Jesus talked about faith so much in His ministry. Re trusting one master: ‘O ye of little faith?’ (Matt.6:30) Re Cornelius, the Roman centurion: ‘Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.’ (Matt.8:10) Re unbelief: ‘for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove (move); and nothing shall be impossible unto you.’ (Matt.17:20) So please my people, let’s consider all these words of faith we’ve heard today, and wisely use them to build up our own. That’s the way Jesus would have it. Much LOVE!…but without faith…it is impossible to please him…for he that cometh to God…must believe that he is…and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him… (Heb.11:6)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 December 2012 Psalm 3:6

03 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

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

 

Psalm 3:6.    I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.

Ah Friends, unfortunately it’s Monday! Steups! And as they say, an end to all good things must come. Chuh! The end of the weekend is here, as well as the end of my vacation on God’s L’il Acre of Tobago. This will be my last message from the cosy cottage at Store Bay. It’s certainly been a most wonderful vacation, and it’s somewhat heartbreaking to see it end. No more sea baths, cocks crowing, nor dogs barking – a big ‘confufulation’ is going on right now in the background; about eight or nine of them just barking their heads off. But as our faith so rightly teaches, when the Lord closes one door, He simultaneously opens another of even greater opportunity and blessing. So let’s praise His Holy and LOVING Name this Monday morning at the beginning of December, the time of Christmas celebrations, when He showed His great, unconditional LOVE for us by sending our Saviour, Jesus Christ to be born in a humble stable in the lowly village of Bethlehem. Instead of being miserable and downcast, let’s raise our voices heavenward in prayer and praise to the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD, Jehovah, Creator of this marvellous universe and all therein. Let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with real vim and vigour, so that the Father and all the heavenly host will sit up and take notice. All together now: ‘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!’ That was great mih people! Heaven sat up and took notice! Jesus was immensely proud, raising a fisted right hand in victory! Now let’s go out and work His work with faith, strength and fortitude, so that we can bring those lost souls with whom we come into contact, safely and LOVINGLY into His wonderful fold. And we have a Bit today that exemplifies true faith and trust in God; encouraging words of Bruh David from Psalm 3, A prayer of confidence in God, written when he fled from his son Absalom, who sought to overthrow him. ‘I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.’ Now that’s showing supreme faith, confidence and trust in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And the good thing about our Bit Friends, is that Bruh David didn’t just mouth those words, he lived his entire life by them. That means we have a perfect example of what the Lord can and will do in our lives if we submit wholly to His Will; a wonderful relationship, filled with LOVE, mercy, grace and forgiveness. What can be better than that eh my brethren? NOTHING! That’s why I don’t understand how people, once they know about Jesus, can ever turn away from Him, because He’s certainly the BEST thing to ever happen to mankind. Ah Friends, the unbelievers, and some of you doubting, fence sitting believers, really don’t know the awesome peace and joy that comes into your hearts and lives when you fully embrace Jesus and His way of life nuh. And here I can talk from personal experience, as sometimes I’m amazed at the peace that has flooded my soul in the last few years, as I try to walk faithfully with the Saviour. Now please, please note, that following Jesus is not an easy row to hoe, because there are all sorts of tests to pass, but Friends, it is definitely an exciting and adventuresome journey. Now listen to this marvellous verse from one of the most beloved and well known scriptures, Psalm 23; the Lord is my Shepherd, which memorably declares, with uncompromising faith: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps.23:4) Wow! Doesn’t that just build enormous strength and confidence in our souls? Of course! And we’ll end with the glorious words of faith and trust from Psalm 27, the Lord is my light and my salvation. Hear Bruh David tell it like it truly is. ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps.27:1-3) Oh my people, let’s go out now, into the evil world that surrounds us, bolstered by those strong, encouraging exhortations, and make a positive difference for Jesus today! It’s the main purpose of our earthly pilgrimage. Much LOVE!…if Jehovah God is for us…then who can be against us eh…NOBODY!…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 February 2012 1 Corinthians 13:13‏

14 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 13:13.    But the greatest of these is LOVE!
                                                HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Happy Valentine’s Day my beautiful Friends in Christ! It’s the LOVE Day, or Day of LOVE! Whichever way you choose it’s okay, because they both emote the same emotion – LOVE! LOVE, the greatest and most powerful emotion in the world! The one that makes the world go round. And don’t bother about the cliché style phrases, for those things usually become clichéd because they are true. We should indeed talk about and act in LOVE much more than we do. Why? Because the chief proponent of LOVE, in fact it’s originator, is none other than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And all God’s people exclaimed a heartfelt ‘Wow! Jesus sure is the greatest!’ There’s definitely no argument about that truth of that statement either, Friends! And since the ole fella’s been a LOVE man from way back when, (smile) then it’s only logical that I’d get in tight with Jesus, the original LOVE MAN. That’s because it’s only stupid people who don’t want to get in tight with Jesus. The wise are continually flocking around Him, like ants on a piece of meat. It’s the only sensible route to take because Jesus has everything any and every human wants and needs, and more importantly, He’s willing to give it to you, if you sincerely believe in, and faithfully follow Him. So why would you want to follow anybody else, who don’t even have half of what Jesus has to offer eh? I might be a bit crazy, but I’m certainly not stupid. Oh my fellow believers, Jesus is indeed the NUMBER ONE MAN! And if anybody says to the contrary, please tell them that they are lying, or drastically fooling themselves. Cause tell me Friends, who else was ever born of a virgin mother? NOBODY! Who else ever sacrificed them self on an old rugged cross for worthless, undeserving sinners eh? NOBODY! Who else ever died, was buried, then rose from the grave three days later? NOBODY! Who else ever offered mankind salvation and eternal life eh? NOBODY! Who else ever promised to come back and bring a new heaven and earth where there’s no pain, suffering or sorrow, but just peace, comfort and joy forever? NOBODY! Yes mih people, NOBODY but Jesus has ever done those things! So why would I want to go and follow some fool-fool, chupid boy called Lucifer eh? No way Jose! The boy has nothing solid to offer, just a pretty facade and enticing words to deceive you into thinking that there’s something nice behind the false front. And even on the odd occasion when there is something half decent behind the facade, it’s never something lasting or permanent, but stuff that withers and rots, stuff that moths and other insects eat. And besides, if you hang with Jesus, you can also get those non-lasting, perishable things, plus all the other permanent goodies He has to offer. So I ask you again my people, why would you want to follow a flim-flam man, a con artist like Lucifer, when you have the perfect and true gentleman, the author and dispenser of LOVE and everything that’s good and generous, namely Jesus? But all I can do is offer advice yes mih brethren, though for once in my life I’m sure I’m offering the most excellent advice possible. Yuh can’t lose on this one at all, because the only sure bet in this whole wide world is Jesus! Everything else is subject to change. But NEVER Jesus! Cause He’s the FIRST, the LAST, and EVERYTHING in between! Believe me people, that is the gospel truth! And I encourage you to go out and spread that good and great news all over the world, just as Jesus asked us to do. It’s  such wonderful news, and offers such wonderful opportunities for sick, lost, hurting and suffering people. Oh Friends, I forgot to enlighten you of Jesus’ great healing qualities amongst His many other attributes. Yes Friends, He’s also a doctor. The BEST M.D in the whole wide world too! Oh, He’s also the BEST Security Guard and the BEST Provider. in addition to all the other things that He is. In other words, Jesus is MISTER EVERYTHING! With Him in your corner, you don’t need anybody else. He’s the epitome of One Stop Shopping. So please tell Wall Mart and them other big name merchandisers about Him, so that they can try to copy His inimitable style. (smile) But seriously though Friends, it’s absolutely necessary, especially in what looks like the end times, that we all get out there and tell others about Him, advertise His wonderful wares! Yuh know the best advertising is word of mouth, so don’t be afraid or ashamed, be strong and very courageous and tell others about Him! Be happy and proud that you’re one of His followers, and do like He did; walk good, talk good and live good. That’s my wish for all of us this Valentine’s Day of 2012, the year when Jesus is going to make unsurpassable inroads into the evil kingdom of Lucifer and the world will become a much better place as His acolytes further His glorious kingdom. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. Please have a beautiful Day of LOVE my people! Much LOVE!…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…just to see Him smile…makes my life worthwhile…cause to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…  P.S. Hope you enjoy this light-hearted Valentine’s Day LOVE Bit dedicated to Jesus, cause that’s how the Spirit led me. In any case, everything stated there is nothing but the living truth! Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 January 2012 Philippians 1:6‏

07 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 1:6.    Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Oh Friends, can you believe we’re already one week into 2012? Wow! Time sure flies when you’re having fun! (smile) I do hope though that all of us are awash with the joy of the Lord, both in our bodies and souls, so that we can do His work with enthusiasm, determination and excellence, because our Saviour Jesus Christ expects higher than average standards from His followers. Now before we get into Today’s Bit, let me share some thoughts of the scholars on the word ‘sanctification.’ You’ll understand why later. ‘The word sanctification means ‘‘to be set apart.’’ The Holy Spirit is attempting to make the believer holy (set apart) and spiritual (reflecting the character of God). This is being accomplished in three phases. First, the believer is forgiven and set apart to God at his conversion (positional sanctification). Second, the believer is constantly being set apart from sin when he utilizes the means of grace (e.g. the Word and prayer) in his life (progressive sanctification). Third, complete sanctification begins at death, or at the Rapture, and is completed when the believer’s spirit is reunited with his resurrection body. We Christians should recognize that God uses all things to accomplish His purpose of making us like Jesus; therefore we should cooperate with the Holy Spirit.’ Yes Friends, God’s purpose for all His adopted children is to become like His perfect only Son, Jesus: holy, sanctified. It’s a lifelong process. When we become believers, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and moulds us on our earthly journey into the likeness of Christ. Obviously we can never be perfect like Him, because He’s God, but we’re all expected to try. As Jesus so eloquently says when asked: ‘What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.’ (John 6:28-29) Please remember my people, that everything revolves around us becoming like Jesus. And it’s all borne out in Bruh Paul’s contention to the Roman church: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.’ (Rom.8:28-29) Thus he could confidently say in our Bit to the new believers at Philippi: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’  And that’s gospel Friends! The work of grace begun in each believer at conversion or acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour will not stop until the day Jesus returns in glory to found His new eternal kingdom. And why should it eh, when the sole intention of the grace deposited in us by the Holy Spirit is to remake us in Christ’s image? Therefore Friends and fellow believers, it’s up to us, both as individuals and in fellowship with each other, to faithfully accept the grace flowing from the Holy Spirit and work diligently with it to enhance our Christ-like image. Every so often, with the Holy Spirit’s assistance, we should check to see if we can distinguish any Christ-like improvements to our image. Now if we’re truly maturing as Christians, then hopefully every time we check, we should be able to pick out something in our character, our behaviour that has brought us closer to the likeness of Christ. Obviously this is not something we can or should do everyday, but more like every few months, thus allowing enough time for whatever improvements are made to securely sink in and truly become a part of us. Oh Friends, this constant working of grace in us through the Holy Spirit is what guarantees us eternal security in our great, wonderful and LOVING God! His purpose in refining us in this rough and tough kiln of earthly life has always been to see us as shining lights in the nature of Jesus.  And we can all rest assured that He will never stop working on and in us until the job’s done to His standard of excellence. So now it’s entirely up to us to work with the Spirit or not. But just remember that if we don’t, we’ll be jeopardizing our souls and our eternal future. That’s how important this subject is. So please pay particular attention to it. Much Love!…the fool says in his heart…there is no God…but the wise man knows that’s pure foolishness…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 December 2011 Jeremiah 13:16‏

21 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 13:16.    Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. Four more days Friends! Just four more days to the big day, Christmas, when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was born lowly and humble, in that rickety, old, broken down stable, amongst all the crude and foul smelling animals. But what a mighty man He became despite His less than auspicious beginnings! Only our Lord God Jehovah could have devised such a complicated and mind boggling but ever-LOVING plan to save His sinful earthly children. That means my people, that although we were also born in lowly circumstances, we too can rise to great heights by placing our faith, hope and trust in Jesus. And they say that our God isn’t wonderful and wise! Chuh! That’s total chupidness mih breddren! That’s simply Lucifer’s lies, to get us to follow him. So Friends, this Christmas season, let’s show the world what we believers in Christ, Christians, are truly about nuh. Let’s allow Jesus’ LOVE, compassion, care and kindness to be front and centre in our lives, so that He can be glorified and win the hearts of some of the many who don’t know Him, but desperately need Him. Oh Friends, it’s imperative that we do as the prophet Jeremiah declares: ‘Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.’ (Jer.13:15) And what has the Lord our God said? The words of our Bit: ‘Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.’ My brethren, that’s not an idle threat, but a solemn promise of Jehovah God. And we know that He keeps all of His promises. Back then, God’s people, the Israelites were running amok in sin, glorifying Lucifer rather than the God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, sadly, just like we’re doing today Friends. And furthermore, the Lord declared unto them: ‘But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.’ (Jer.13:17) And Friends, that’s exactly what happened to Israel when they refused to heed God’s warning. Note too, that just as it hurts our earthly parents when they have to punish us for disobedience, the same way it hurts God, His soul weeps when He has to inflict punishment on us, because He LOVES us so much. Oh my people, unfortunately the Lord’s saying the same thing to us today that He said to the Israelites in Jeremiah’s time. ‘Glorify me, instead of Lucifer. Turn from your evil ways and accept my easy yoke and light bondage. Otherwise you’ll be plunged into darkness, death and destruction.’ And we all can certainly acknowledge that what’s taking place in our world today is not simply as the world turns, but there is definitely and element of divine retribution involved in the macabre madness that’s terrorizing our entire planet. For there’s no peace, only endless strife; no LOVE, only anger, resentment and hatred; no joy, only sorrowful hearts and souls; no light, only gloom and darkness. Oh my brethren, is that the way we truly want to live, or the kind of world we want to bequeath to our children? I sincerely doubt it. So let’s pick up the pieces of our fallen and broken selves and turn back to Almighty God, who will gladly put us back together again; make us whole and clean in His sight once again. For though all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put the fallen and broken Humpty Dumpty back together again, our wonderful, omnipotent, LOVING and caring God can, and will make us whole if we turn to Him in true conviction and repentance. So if we truly want to improve the woeful condition of our world, our souls and our lives, then I implore us today, to do just that. Much LOVE!…in darkness there’s only fear…but in light…the God of LOVE is there…  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 December 2011 Ecclesiastes 7:19

19 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , ,

Ecclesiastes 7:19.    Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Oh Friends, it’s Monday – and a special Monday too – six days before the greatest celebration in the world! We’re talking about Christmas Day, when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was born, the first step in the warm, wonderful and true LOVE that our God showed by redeeming us from sin and death! Wow! Isn’t that an awesome reality? It sure is! As the Good Book so triumphantly declares: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) And all God’s people shouted a resounding ‘Glory Hallelujah! Thank you ever so much Lord!’ Yes Friends, no greater LOVE than that has ever been, or will ever be shown! So what if we have to get up and go out and labour this cold Monday morning eh? Jesus did way more than that on our behalf. And since we’re in this special festive season of Christmas, with LOVE, Peace and Goodwill to all mankind in such abundance, let’s not murmur and complain about having to work, but instead adopt a right attitude, an attitude that will be pleasing to Jesus and reminiscent of His time, His walk here on earth. To help us get that good attitude then, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn as though we truly mean it. With one, loud voice now: ‘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 if that didn’t get your adrenaline flowing, ready for battle, my Friends, I don’t know what will. (smile) And yuh know people, that all falls into line with our Bit: ‘Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men (rulers) which are in the city.’ Wisdom is indeed a mighty mover and shaker! Hear how Cousin Sol describes its awesome power in Proverbs 21: ‘A wise man scaleth the city (climbs over the walls) of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence (trusted stronghold) thereof.’ (Prov.21:22) That tells us Friends, that wisdom is more powerful than brute strength. Or as we’d say in the vernacular: ‘Brains will beat brawn any day.’ Cousin Sol also declares in Proverbs 24, that: ‘A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.’ (Prov.24:5) And that’s an undeniable fact my brethren! The wiser we become, the stronger we get, not necessarily in physical terms, although that’s possible too, but for sure mentally, emotionally and spiritually. But what then is this wisdom that’s so wonderful, and where can it be found? We’ll end with an insight into those questions from Cousin Sol: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (One) is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.’ (Prov.9:10-11) Yes Friends, wisdom comes from God, beginning with the reverence and awe in which we hold Him. Only when we have Almighty God as the be all and end all of our lives, can we ever hope to attain, to receive, to achieve that great intangible called Wisdom! More on this tomorrow, provided the breath of life still blows in us. Till then, let’s do our duty nuh, by sincerely LOVING our God, LIVING our Faith and SPREADING His Word. Merry Christmas, with Much LOVE!…be wise…fear God…so that you may get…wisdom, understanding and long life…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 December 2011 2 Corinthians 9:6‏

16 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: ,

2 Corinthians 9:6.    But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, and we’ve awakened to another wonderful day in God’s great universe! Wow! Please give Him some thanks and praise for that. And this a special Friday too, because it’s the weekend before Christmas. Only nine more days till that joyful celebration of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’s birth! So you can imagine the rocking riddims as well as the sweet angelic music that’s reaching up to heaven from earth. Mama mia! I guess you can call it a cornucopia of music, because it’s all kinds from all over God’s earth. And that’s the way it should be my people. A celebration of Christ’s birth ought to be rich and rollicking, for no one else, no other birth has meant so much to mankind. But before we get carried away in the celebrating, let’s slow down and chant our Friday Chant nuh, so we can get a right perspective on the weekend. Altogether now, in one great voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes Friends, as the old people would say; ‘drunk or sober, mind yuh business.’ Regardless of the authenticity of the situation, we can’t afford to go overboard and give the enemy an opening to sow his negative seeds of destruction. And now that we’ve gotten the celebration part straightened out, (smile) let’s turn to our Bit, which is another awesome working of God’s nature within His universe. ‘But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully (with blessings) shall reap also bountifully.’  Yeah mih people, however our hearts lead us, so shall it be returned to us. And since we all know how the programme works, I’m not going to try and reinvent the wheel, I’m just going to let some relevant scriptures do the talking to our hearts, minds and souls. And we going to begin with some awesome words of Jesus, some definitive words, that strike right to the heart of the topic. ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom (fold in garment used as a pocket). For with the same measure that ye mete (use) withal it shall be measured to you again.’ (Luke 6:38) Oh Friends, those words of the Master are so revealing and relevant that we should be able to stop right here. But sadly, our hearts are so stone cold and hard that we need more scriptures to keep chipping away at them. Now listen to some wisdom from Cousin Sol. ‘There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that witholdeth more than is meet (right), but it tendeth (leads) to poverty. The liberal (generous) soul shall be made fat (rich): and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that witholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.’ (Prov.11:24-26) And again from Cousin Sol: ‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.’ (Prov.19:17) And we’ll end with one of my favourite scriptures from Hebrews, where the writer, who could only be Bruh Paul, or his clone, is talking about service well-pleasing to God. ‘Let brotherly LOVE continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ (Heb.13:1-2) Yes Friends, that statement is oh so true! I’ve experienced it personally and have also seen it in the lives of others. You can come into contact with a stranger only to realize later on that they are able to make a substantial difference in your life, but that difference will only be made if your initial response was up to scratch, meaning Christian-like. What I like about that scripture is that it helps to keep us grounded and focused all year round, re our Christian principles. Anyway, now that we’ve been reminded that whatever we give out, and however we give it out, the same will be returned to us in like manner, let’s light up our hearts this Christmas season, be joyful, generous and full of LOVE, for our embattled world badly needs such joy and generosity. However, as I believe Jeeves would say, let’s adjust our attitudes with ‘a modicum of circumspection.’ Let’s not get carried away with the celebrating and forget the real reason for the season…the birth of Jesus. Merry Xmas to all, and to all a Happy New Year! Much LOVE!…to live and give…at all times…from a right heart…that’s the Master’s desire for all His children…
 

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries