sufferation | SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 September 2014 Hosea 7:13

28 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: 24/7 society, almighty god, be wise, bindage, blessings, derision, destruction unto them, devise evil, disasters, disobedience, do the right thing, Egypt, encourage ourselves, eternal life, faith, favour, favouritism, fellowship, focus on God, foreordained, forsaken the Lord, friends, give thanks and praise, glory hallelujah, God made man in His image, God's people, God's Word, he who has ears to hear, hope, I have redeemed them, Israel, it takes two to tango, Jesus Christ, Judah, justice, laws, LOVE, mercy, ONE body in Christ, Praise the Lord, raised him up from the dead, rebelled, rebellion, redeemed, redemption, relationship, relationships, relax from labour, responsibilities, reverence, rules, sacrifice, salvation, setbacks, strengthen our faith, sufferation, Sunday, the cross at Cakvary, the foundation of the world, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the one who made you for Himself, the precious blood of Christ, the Promised Land, the Sabbath Day, they have fled from me, they have spoken lies against me, they have transgressed against me, Tobago day, true image of God, unconditional LOVE, woe unto them, wonder, worship, your faith and hope might be in god

Hosea 7:13. Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

Well Friends, Sunday, the Sabbath day has rolled around again, and it’s promising to be another Tobago day! (smile) Praise the Lord! Glory Hallelujah! All of that means it’s time for us to relax from our labour, take it easy, and concentrate our focus, even more than normal, on Almighty God, our Creator and Provider, for that is what He did after creating the universe.

Sadly though, with our busy, 24/7 scheduled society, some things just cannot be shut down in midstream, and thus life is not as simple and easy as it used to be. However, it is important that each and every one of us put aside at least one day in each week to stop labouring and totally give ourselves over to God and family.

We should also make time to join together in worship and fellowship with other believers, so that we can give thanks and praise together as one body in the risen Christ, as well as encourage ourselves and strengthen our faith. That is done much easier through a gathering of like believers.

Now here is a very interesting paragraph I just read in the Introduction to a booklet by Jack Kuhatschek, titled: ‘A Message for All Time – Understanding and Applying the Bible.’

It states: ‘When you realize that the Bible isn’t primarily about rules but relationships, your Scripture reading will be transformed. And when you discover that God’s Word isn’t mainly about laws but LOVE, you’ll feel the heartbeat of the One who made you for Himself.’

Oh Friends, I was definitely intrigued by those statements, because if you really look at the Bible in those terms, it does become much easier to understand. We’re not dealing with rules and regulations per se, but with personal relationships between a God who made man in His image, to have a LOVING relationship with Him.

But to have a LOVING relationship with a just and holy God necessitates our behaving in certain ways, ways that reflect the right and true image of our Creator.

That brings us to our Bit: ‘Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.’

It’s oh so simple my brethren: God’s people, Israel, rebelled against Him in spite of His overwhelming, unconditional LOVE for them, and the special acts of wonder, mercy and justice He performed on their behalf.

As the Good Book continues: ‘And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled (wailed) upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn (grain) and (new) wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bound (trained) and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief (devise evil) against me.

They return, but not (upward) to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.’ (Hos.7:14-16)

Yes my people, both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern one of Judah rebelled against God, and both suffered serious setbacks, terrible disasters because of it. And I like the info the scholars provide on the last verse.

‘7:16. A deceitful bow has every appearance of being good, but the arrows that it propels miss the intended target. God has wonderful things for Israel, but they have continuously mistaken His favour for favouritism and have misused His blessings for their own ends.’

And isn’t that ever so true! The Israelites abused God’s favour, foolishly thinking that because they were God’s chosen people, they could get away with rebellion. But unfortunately my dear Friends, our great and wonderful God doesn’t operate that way. Remember a good relationship appoints responsibilities on both sides. As they say, it takes two to tango, and two hands to wash.

Now God did His part by liberating the Israelites from bondage in Egypt and moving them to the Promised Land. Thereafter, He simply expected them to do their part of the covenant; be obedient to His dictates and serve and worship Him with due reverence and appreciation. But they didn’t, and eventually paid a stiff price for their disobedience.

Likewise my brethren, we in this current age have also forsaken the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who after all our forefathers’ disobedience, still had that fervent LOVE for us, and still desired a close relationship with us.

That burned in His heart so much, He made the ultimate sacrifice, paid the ultimate price for our disobedience by crucifying His sinless Son, Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary, to redeem us once and for all time from our abominable sins.

Oh Friends, that redemption was the beginning of God’s greatest gift to us, for it led to salvation and eternal life!

Hear how Peter puts it: ‘Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible (perishable) things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation (aimless conduct) received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (sinless):

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest (revealed) in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.’ (1 Pet.1:18-21)

Now, our more immediate fathers to some extent did that, had faith and hope in God. But recently my people, in the last couple generations, we have totally strayed from their walk with God, and instead are desperately trying to rid our society of Him, by removing Him from all the special places where he was originally placed and revered; like schools, work, public places, and even homes.

Now put yourselves in God’s place Friends. How would you react to such treacherous behaviour eh? Yuh see how He reacted to Israel’s disobedience? Do you think He’ll react any differently to ours? Off course not! And then we naively wonder why our world has suddenly become such a hellish place.

Oh my fellow believers, I don’t know to what extent, but I do know that the current tragedy that’s our world, has some correlation to our removing Jehovah God from our society, and if we don’t turn our woeful and wicked ways around soon, even more destruction will come upon us.

So if we want to see our children and grandchildren endure real ‘sufferation’ then we can continue the way we’re going. If not, then we have to change course, and change quickly too, get Jesus’ LOVE Revolution into top gear and beat the iniquity workers at their own game.

My fellow believers, it’s all up to us now, because the evil doers like the status quo. So please, let’s be wise and do the right thing nuh. Much LOVE!

…he who has ears to ear…let him hear…else he’s going to feel…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 September 2014 John 10:10

24 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: abundance, abundant life, adventurous, all should come to salvation, all thanks and praise to god, amazement, and have it more abundantly, as I have loved you, Bless His Holy Name, blessings, bondage of sin, Bruh Paul, busy society, came together to break bread, celebrate the life death and resurrection of Jesus, collective family, cut-throat, do whatsoever I command you, enjoy each other's company, eternal optimist, everybody's doing their own thing, exciting life, faith, family life, family togetherness, favour, fellow believers, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, forgiveness, friends, get together, God's greatest desire, God's promised to work things out for our good, grace, greater love hath no man, greedy, hope, hurts my heart, I am come that they might have life, in exile, influence of Jesus, interesting, Jeus reigns supreme, joy, laughter, lay down his life for his friends, LOVE, love and togetherness, LOVE one another, mercy, merriment, obedient to God's will, opportunity, our Creator and sure Provider, overflowing grace, personal experience, physical treasure and pleasures, pick sense from nonsense, sacrificed Jesus, selfish, sins, some of the best days of my life, Son Jesus, soulful, spiritual enlightenment, such a blast, sufferation, tenderness, the first day of the week, the Good Lord, the greatest of these is love, the thief comes to steal, there am I in the midst of them, to go to be late is to be up early, undying LOVE, unending wisdom, ungrateful, unworthy, wisdom, wonder

John 10:10. The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Oh Friends, it’s been a Willie Shakespeare kind of night, in the sense of when he says in one of his plays – don’t remember which one – to go to bed late is to be up early. Hn, Hn! Well I was up very early because I went to bed very late, around 3:30 a.m. (smile)

Anyway mih people, what I want to say is that the last couple of days can be numbered amongst some of the best of my life. That’s because it’s the first time my brother and I have spent so much time continually together.

We were always Friends, but never hung out much together, and the thirty years I spent away from Tobago, in exile in the North Country, obviously reduced those opportunities.

However mih breddren, the Good Lord, our Creator and sure Provider, in His usual mysterious way, in His unending wisdom and overflowing grace, thirty odd years later has provided a surprise get together. Mama Mia! All thanks and praise to Him!

One day, a couple weeks ago, right out of the blue, I received an e-mail from my niece saying that her parents were coming to Canada. And they’ve been here with us the last two days, and oh my people, it’s been such a blast!

There hasn’t been that much laughter, merriment and family togetherness in the house for a while, because in this busy society everybody is usually off doing their own thing. But yuh know what Friends?

These last couple of days have shown me what Jesus truly means when He says in our Bit: ‘The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’

It’s family life Friends, family togetherness He was talking about. That’s basically it. When family and friends and fellow believers get together and enjoy each other’s company under the overwhelming influence of Jesus, then life truly is graced and gifted with abundance.

I don’t believe Jesus was referring so much to the abundance of physical treasure and pleasures, but more to the abundance of soulful and spiritual enlightenment. And again we see Jesus emphasizing togetherness, when He says: ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt.18:20)

And what we often forget, especially in this current selfish, cut-throat, greedy society, is that God’s greatest desire is that ALL should come to salvation; that we should live as ONE, in LOVE, joy and tenderness towards each other, as a part of His one, big, collective family. Otherwise He wouldn’t have sacrificed His One Son Jesus, to pay the price for our abominable sins.

And believe me people, Jesus did pay and enormous, a terribly high price to free us from the bondage of sin. Every time I consider what He went through to save us unworthy, ungrateful wretches, the very thought of His immense ‘sufferation’ hurts my heart.

But then, on the other side of the equation, I’m oh so thankful and grateful that He paid that exacting price, because it shows that the Father and Him truly LOVED, and still LOVES me!

This brings to mind Jesus’ directive: ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you. Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ (John 12-14)

Then He went out and did exactly that – sacrificed Himself on the cross for us. Bless His Holy Name!

But please remember that one proviso: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ So if we’re not obedient to the will of Jesus, then we’re not His friends.

And sadly, that means a great proportion of mankind are not friends of Jesus, since we have so rudely and foolishly removed Him from all areas of our lives; at home, at work, at school and at play.

But Friends, Jesus is the eternal optimist. He believed in the saying that if you build it, they will come. So He died to give us the wonderful opportunity to come to Him in LOVE and togetherness.

And staying with that theme of togetherness and abundant life, let’s look at a scripture that appropriately describes it. It deals with Bruh Paul at Troas. ‘And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached (spoke) unto them, ready to depart on the morrow (the next day); and continued his speech (message) until midnight.’ (Acts 20:7)

Again, it was a coming together of the disciples to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Oh my fellow believers, there can be no greater joy than when Jesus is amongst, reigns supreme in the lives of a group of people! That’s when the abundant life truly kicks in, and why we need to take togetherness more seriously than we currently do, both as family and fellow believers.

Oh my people, being obedient to Jesus so that you can be numbered amongst His friends, is not always easy. In fact it can be very rough at times, when the Lord chooses to test us. But remember that He’s promised to ALWAYS work things out for our good.

And I can tell you from personal experience, that if you sincerely try to live obedient to God, then you WILL certainly lead an interesting, adventurous and exciting life, filled with wonder and amazement!

And how can we not eh, when our lives are constantly connected to: God’s Faith, God’s Grace, God’s Favour, God’s Blessings, God’s Mercy, God’s Forgiveness, and God’s undying LOVE!

So please my brethren, let’s get our acts together, and COME TOGETHER IN LOVE AND OBEDIENCE TO JESUS! That’s the wisdom of all the ages! Much LOVE!

…and now abideth…faith…hope…LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE…

P.S. Oh Friends, I surely hope that this Bit makes sense yes, stands together as a structural whole. But even if it doesn’t, I know that you all are smart enough to pick sense from nonsense. (smile) Much LOVE!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 August 2014 Luke 23:34a

07 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: abundance, add insult to injury, all is well, Amazing grace, author and finisher of our faith, awesome, be with me in heaven., beautiful summer's day, blasphemed, blessings, bruised and battered body, cast lots, Christ, common criminals, condemnation, creation, cross, crown of thorns, cruel, cruelty, disgraced, disrespectful acts, divided his garments, due reward, emotionally, eternal life, Father forgive them, fear God, for they know not what they do, forgiveness, friends, god is still in control, god is still on his throne, God's LOVING-kindness, God's will, grace, gracefully, grateful appreciation, gratefully, greatest act of forgiveness, heart-rending, humiliated, humiliation, inhumane treatment, injustice, Jesus, Jesus' crucifixion, John Hagee, leader, legions of angels, lifeblood, LOVE, loyal followers, magnanimously, man enough to forgive, mentally, mercy, mocked, new sight in Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, pain, petty wrongs, physical abuse, physically, Pilate, pilgrim's journey, Praise the Lord, ridiculed, rise above it all, Roman soldiers, sadistic, salvation, scourging, self-control, selfish society, spearing in the side, Spiritual Master, sufferation, suffering, teacher, thanksgiving, the chosen of god, the Good Book, thirst, This is the king of the Jews, torture, unforgettable, vinegar, whipping, wisdom

Luke 23:34a. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Oh Friends, it’s another beautiful summer’s day in my area! Only problem is that I’m suffering from the after effects of a beautiful summer’s night! (smile) That means I was up till the wee hours of the morning, consequently my rising was a tad late. (smile)

It’s summer Friends, so I have to enjoy it as much as possible, because it will soon be gone, and I won’t be able to do things like sit on my front porch in the early hours of the morning, clad only in shorts and T-shirt, enjoying the quiet beauty of nature and communing with my Maker.

And it is surely refreshing and reassuring to know that our great God is still on His throne controlling things, which means, all is well. Praise the Lord!

Yes Friends, blessings and mercy, grace, LOVE and forgiveness are still being showered down on us in great abundance each and every day, through the Lord’s LOVING-kindness.

And I sincerely implore us to gracefully and gratefully receive them all with thanksgiving, as we continue on our pilgrim’s journey on earth today. It’s the only WISE way to live!

Now some of you might be wondering how come we still have a Bit on forgiveness, when I said that yesterday was the last day? Well don’t blame me Friends, for I am just the messenger. That was the Lord’s idea. And it’s pretty interesting how He communicated it.

Last night, while watching Uncle John (John Hagee) preach a sermon on self-control, which in today’s selfish society is almost nonexistent – some of you may have seen it – he mentioned Jesus’ crucifixion as being one of the greatest moments of self-control displayed in human history.

The reasoning being that if Jesus had so desired, He could have called down legions of angels to disrupt and take over the whole proceeding. But fortunately for us, He didn’t, thus allowing His Father’s will to prevail and subsequently our salvation and eternal life to be assured.

However, the idea, the awareness it raised in my mind was that that most cruel, unforgettable occasion was the greatest act of forgiveness ever made!

Just think about it nuh people: Jesus was sadistically ridiculed, disgraced and totally humiliated by Pilate and the Roman soldiers in all the ways possible, emotionally, mentally and physically. And to add insult to injury, audaciously crucifying Him between two common criminals.

But mih breddren, that physical abuse was truly something else yes: the whipping, the scourging, the crown of thorns, forced to carry His own cross, then being cruelly nailed to it, in a manner guaranteed to cause the most suffering over the longest period possible, spearing Him in the side, giving Him sour vinegar to drink when He cried out for thirst, plus the host of snide remarks and disrespectful acts as reported by the Good Book.

‘And they parted his raiment (divided His garments), and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided (sneered at) him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar (sour wine), And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And one of the malefactors (criminals) which were hanged railed on him (blasphemed), saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss (wrong).

And he said unto Jesus, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in heaven.’ (Luke 23:34b-43)

And yet my fellow believers, in spite of all the sadistic humiliation and physical torture, as He hung limply and almost lifeless on the rough and rugged wooden cross, Jesus was still able to rise above it all, to prove that He was indeed someone special, someone come to perform a most, or rather the most important event in man’s history, after his creation.

Yes my brethren, as He hung there dying, as the lifeblood slowly seeped out of His bruised and battered body, Jesus magnanimously declared the awesome, heart-rending words of our Bit: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’

Now my people, if Jesus could utter those miraculous words of forgiveness, after the way in which He was so inhumanely treated, abused with such withering force and callousness, who are we not to forgive our fellow man of the mostly petty wrongs that they do to us eh?

None of us have suffered, or will most likely ever suffer one iota of Jesus’ pain or the terrible injustice that was meted out to Him, but He was man enough to forgive, because that was His way.

And since He is the author and finisher of our faith, our Lord and Saviour, Leader, Teacher and Spiritual Master, as His true and loyal followers, we’re also expected to follow the same path – that of forgiveness.

Oh Friends, I don’t know about you all nuh, but for the last few years, having come to realize the great cruelty and insane torture that Jesus suffered on our behalf; the terrible gouges in His tattered flesh from the whip shrewdly embedded with pieces of metal and other flesh tearing particles, the huge, crude nails driven into His tender hands and feet, then left to bleed to death in the hot, noonday, desert sun…

Steups! Ah Lord eh! I can’t truly fathom it all nuh Friends, but it has certainly given me a new sight, a new appreciation of Jesus. And every time I consider the terrible circumstances of His crucifixion, it brings to mind this prayer that I’ve shared before with you.

‘Amazing Grace – how sweet the sound – that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see. Thank you Father for my new sight in Jesus. Amen.’

Oh my people, I do hope that we’re all taking Jesus’ suffering seriously… No that was more than suffering- it was more like ‘sufferation,’ and allowing it to fill our hearts with LOVE and grateful appreciation, which will thus enable us to have a new outlook, a new sight in what Jesus has so selflessly done for us.

It is undoubtedly the highest and wisest form of wisdom to which mankind can ever attain. Much LOVE!

…if Jesus can forgive man for the excessive cruelty meted out to Him…then man can certainly forgive man for their less excessive wrongs to each other…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 February 2014 Ephesians 1:3

04 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: almighty god, appreciative, awe struck lovers, Blessed be the God and Father, coconuts, Cowie's bakery, crying in my wine, currants roll, disobedience, divine truth, fry bake and saltfish, God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, God of my salvation, God's majesty, God's will, grace, Grange Beach, grateful, heavenly blessings, heavenly downpour, hell fire, highlights, hoping and praying, human ingenuity, ice cream, Jesus Christ, joy of life, knowledge, lavished, lord jesus christ, LOVE, loving kindness, mauby, memories, mentally and emotionally alert, mystery, new day rising, obeys, old times, out in the cold, Paradise, peace and awe, practical application, prayers, prudence, rejoice, right course of action, righteous person, shed blood of Jesus, shower of rain, sinful selves, sinful ways, sufferation, sweet Tobago, tarts, true nature of things, unconditional LOVE, understanding, undesrving souls, wisdom, wonderful god, wrath of God

Ephesians 1:3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Oh Friends, oh Friends, the ole fella’s moaning in his cups, crying in his wine, because he only has two more days left in Paradise. ‘Bahhh!’ Then I won’t be able to rise every morning, come out to my balcony and greet my wonderful God and the new day rising above the trees on the eastern horizon.

In two more days, I won’t be able to gaze out at the lush greenery and rejoice in the peace and awe of God’s majesty that it provides my soul. How sad my people. (smile) But as we keep saying, while there is life, there’s always hope, and while I’m alive, I will keep on hoping and praying that the God of my salvation will enable me to live out my days, or some portion thereof, in Sweet Tobago.

If it’s His will, then it will undoubtedly come to pass. But if not, then I will just have to grin and bear it. But in the meantime, I’m making memories so that in whatever physical space or state I might eventually find myself, there will be lots of joyful and entertaining thoughts flowing through my mind. For as we all know, memories are one of the few things which never leave us. So Friends, let’s all try and make as many good memories as possible today nuh, to enliven and enlighten our later years.

And mih breddren, I made some excellent ones yesterday. I don’t remember how it all went, but these are the highlights. I took my uncle Foster down to the airport around 9 a.m. to buy his ticket back to Trinidad. We also bought breakfast down there. Oh mih people, Tobago has certainly become a real food industry place; everywhere food is being sold.

We dropped him home, then came home ourselves, and had breakfast; fry bake and saltfish, washed down with some cold, gloriously tasting mauby. Hn! Then after writing the Bit, we headed for the beach.

In my contrariness (smile) and since I was the only one bathing, I went to Grange Beach, far from the madding crowd, and also close to an area in which I wanted to check out a friend. I was the only person on the beach, and though the tide was coming in, making the water somewhat choppy, I enjoyed myself. And while there, under a clear blue sky, a shower of rain suddenly came down.

Now the forecast had called for rain all day, but that was the first time we’d seen any. And Friends, just like there’s nothing sweeter than playing mas in rain, so there’s nothing better than being in the sea during a heavenly downpour! The pellets of heavenly blessing just kept falling on my head, as I laughed and swam, while the Duchess hid out in the car.

And since it didn’t make sense to come out of the water and get wet again in the rain, I just stayed there until the rain ended, some ten to fifteen minutes later. By the time I came out, an older Indian gentleman had set up a coconut stall by the side of the road, next to the beach, and since we hadn’t had any coconuts yet, we decided to check them out.

They weren’t bad, but the amusing thing is that while enjoying the nuts, the rain came down again. The wife ran back to the car, while I stood out there in my bathing trunks and my already wet towel around my neck, enjoying the coconut and chatting with the gentleman.

Some ten minutes later the rain ended and we headed out to find this friend, whom I’d been unable to find a couple days earlier. But this time with better directions, I eventually found him. His name is Rees Jack. Apparently he suffered a stroke some two months ago, which unfortunately left him with little movement on his right side. But thankfully, otherwise he was mentally and emotionally alert, and still full of the joy of life. We had a short but excellent visit, recalling old times.

That reminds me of another old friend that I’d visited two days before. His name is Harvey Anthony, and he’s sort of housebound too, the result of an infected wound on his right foot, which isn’t healing as it should because he’s also a diabetic.

Friends, please remember them in our prayers. Ask the Lord to heal and comfort them in their time of trial and need. For remember that prayer is the greatest power on earth, and that the prayer of a righteous person can be very effective.

Now after visiting Rees, we stopped in at Cowie’s Bakery in Carnbee, one of the oldest, and in my youth, the most popular bakery in Tobago. And though they now seem to be a shadow of their former selves, with much more competition around, they still have some of the finest baked goods around. Their butter bread is still to die for, while their coconut tart is the best I’ve tasted so far, and their currants roll is still mouth-watering.

After that, the Duchess and I ran around looking for food, but couldn’t find anything to thrill us, and we ended up in the mall, sitting on high chairs at a high table, eating ice-cream and gazing like awe-struck lovers into each other’s eyes. Hn, hn, hn! She might not agree with that description though. Then we came home and sampled the delights from Cowie’s Bakery. Now those were major good memories I made yesterday.

And finally let’s turn to our Bit: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.’

And my fellow believers, as our Bit so wisely points out, and as I keep asking everyday, how can we not LOVE and serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, when He’s done so much for us, simply because of His great, unconditional LOVE for us undeserving souls?

Yesterday we talked about His redemption, forgiveness and showers of grace, through the shed blood of Jesus. Today let’s continue with a couple more verses of Bruh Paul’s first letter to the Ephesians, outlining how Jehovah God had planned to, and eventually redeemed us.

‘Wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence (understanding); Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.’ (Eph.1:8-9)

Ah Friends, yuh see again, that all the Lord has done is through His own LOVING-kindness, not through any actions on our part. In fact our actions would normally have caused Him to eradicate us. But His LOVE was so strong and awesome, that it caused Him to come up with a plan to save us from our sinful selves.

Now let’s hear the scholars’ comments on those verses. ‘1:8. This verse could be rendered, “He lavished upon us this grace which consists in all sorts of wisdom and prudence (or, insight). The word ‘wisdom’ refers to a knowledge of the true nature of things; prudence has to do with the practical application of this wisdom leading to the right course of action. But the specific “wisdom and prudence” Paul has in view here concerns a future aspect of God’s will, as delineated in verses 9,10.’

And re ‘1:9. This verse more precisely identifies that “wisdom and prudence” (v.8) that God lavished on us. This “wisdom and prudence” have to do with God’s making known unto us the mystery of his will. “Mystery” here refers to a divine truth that is incapable of being discovered by human ingenuity and that, until recently, has been kept secret. Why did God disclose this mystery to us? It was according to (because of) his good pleasure which he hath purposed (planned) in himself.’

So there we have it my fellow believers! God planned His plan, and when the time was right, laid it out one step at a time to his greatest creation, mankind. So why aren’t we more appreciative and grateful eh? I can’t explain it.

I can only say that if we don’t change our sinful ways and turn back to Almighty God soon, then many of us will be left out in the cold, or rather in the eternal ‘sufferation’ of hell fire. And I don’t think that is going to be a fun time. So please let’s err on the side of caution and wisdom. Much LOVE!

…to him who obeys the call of disobedience…will the wrath of God surely fall upon…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 October 2013 Matthew 5:10

31 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: Beatitudes, blessed, brainwashed, candies, children, christ jesus, Christian calendar, common sense, costumes, daily prayer, dangerous stuff, divine wisdom, don't be afraid, easy money, encouraging words, enduring suffering, evil, evil doing, evil machinations, faith, for Christ's sake, for righteousness sake, friends, glory hallelujah, goblins, God's goodness, good cheer, Halloween, heartfelt prayers, holy spirit, Jesus Christ, just, killjoy, kingdom of heaven, lead and guide, liable to err, live godly in Christ, Lord and Saviour, LOVE, loving kindness, money making day, most powerful tool, needles, nitty gritty, overcome the world, pagan rites, peace, persecuted, persecution, petty things, pick sense from nonsense, prayer, pumpkins, reward, righteousness sake, sins, spread the word, standing steadfast and strong for Jesus, stigma, sufferation, suffering, talk the talk, testimony, trials, tribulation, troubled world, true believers, unjust, walk the walk, well doing, wisdom, wishy-washy, witches

Matthew 5:10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Oh Friends, it’s the last day of October, can you imagine… But that also makes it Halloween Day. Steups! Just look at how the pagan rites have been inculcated into our Christian calendar nuh!

And it’s only been used as another money-making day by the merchants; candies, costumes and pumpkins. And the uglier and more evil looking your costume, the better dressed you’re considered!

Yes Friends, it’s Halloween; time for goblins, witches, et all! Ah Lord eh!

We start our children from small with the nonsense. And just to show how evil our world has become, nowadays you can no longer send your children trick or treating by themselves, even in your own neighbourhood, since recently so many evil things have been happening to them.

Sadly, it doesn’t even have to be Halloween for our children to go missing, as I received an e-mail last night that a sixteen year old young lady who lives on my street has been missing since last Friday.

And with this Halloween stuff you have to be very careful with the stuff your children collect, because evil people have been putting needles and other dangerous stuff in them. Chuh blast!

Oh Friends, I seriously believe it’s time we do away with this Halloween day and all the evil that it’s come to represent. I know that most likely I’m in the minority on that subject, and some of you might see me as a killjoy, but that’s okay, I can live with that stigma, people have been saying stuff about me since I began showing in mother’s womb. (smile)

But I guess we won’t get rid of Halloween anytime soon because the parents have been brainwashed into it, and the merchants won’t quietly give up such an opportunity to make easy money.

And from all that rambling, I guess it’s easy to figure out that I won’t be participating in the nonsense. Yuh know, on one hand we tell the children that too much candy and sugar is bad for them, but in the next breath we take them out in their evil looking costumes to collect as much candy as they can.

And then we wonder why the children are the way they are! Steups! Let’s just hope the Lord blesses them with the wisdom and common sense – which their parents seem to lack – to go easy on the stuff.

Anyway, I want to apologize for a typo in Yesterday’s Bit, where instead of saying before we ‘can’ enjoy God’s goodness and LOVING-kindness, I said ‘can’t.’ But I know that all you true believers knew what I meant, because you all are wise enough to pick sense from nonsense. (smile)

Just like I said sometime last week about putting our money where ‘out’ mouth is, instead of ‘our’ mouth. That just shows though that the ole fella is very human, and thus liable to err, but hopefully not too often. But enough of this preamble rambling, we have a Bit to deal with.

A Bit which says: ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

Yeh Friends, we now getting down to the nitty gritty of the Beatitudes! It’s no longer just about being nice and godly, but actually about enduring suffering; physical, mental and emotional, all for Christ’s sake! How do we like them beans now eh?

Most of us won’t like them too much because we just like to have everything nice and easy, no ‘sufferation’ whatsoever. But my people, we need to remember these most memorable and encouraging words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)

That means we WILL suffer trials and tribulations, in this predominantly evil and troubled world. But we’ve got to bear up under them with a good attitude because Jesus has already overcome the world and all its evil machinations.

That brings us to the scholar’s take on the subject: ‘5:10. As Jesus develops His message, He clearly teaches that such a life cause His people to be in direct contrast to the world in which they live. Therefore He reminds us, ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake.’

The plural use of “ye” in verse 11 indicates that He foresaw this persecution as touching ALL His followers. Notice 2 Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

Oh Friends, it’s rough, but true! The kingdom of heaven is not for wishy washy or ‘fraidy, fraidy’ people. And many of us out here in the free Western world are just that. Meanwhile, other Christians in more restrictive parts of the world, are being persecuted left, right and centre for simply believing in Jesus and wanting to serve and worship Him.

Many of us would cave in if we ever felt that kind of pressure. We’re doing it now without any pressure at all. But millions of believers around the globe are still standing steadfast and strong for Jesus, despite the serious persecution they’re facing! Glory Hallelujah!

And it sure makes me feel bad to see that we out here, who have it so good, are complaining and whining about so many petty and unimportant things, merely talking the talk without walking the attendant walk.

Oh my people, it’s imperative that we at least send up some real heartfelt prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being so terribly persecuted. So today I’m asking us all, during our time of daily prayer, or at any time at all, to pray for our persecuted brethren all around the world.

Remember. prayer is the most powerful tool in God’s great universe!

And we’ll close with an encouraging word from Peter, re the subject of suffering and reward. ‘And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy (blessed) are ye:

And be not afraid of their terror (threats), neither be troubled… For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit.’ (1 Pet.3:13-14, 17-18)

Oh my fellow believers, I know it’s difficult to live a good life for Jesus, but He did it for us, and as the scholars say: ‘In the will of God we are sometimes called to suffer for well-doing as a testimony to others.’

And we can certainly do it if we hold close to Jesus and let His Spirit lead and guide us, while raising up all the things we need to truly serve Him, from our spirit, where it’s ALL been already planted.

We only need the power of the Holy Spirit now to bring them to the fore. And that my Friends, is a true mark of divine wisdom. Much LOVE!

…our earthly duty is to…LOVE our God…LIVE our Faith…and SPREAD His Word…let’s start doing that in all seriousness nuh…

P.S. Oh Friends, it’s long, but worthwhile. As Jesus said, we can’t always have it short and easy. (smile) Much LOVE!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 June 2013 Hebrews 10:23

04 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: can't find jobs, captains of industry, communion with Jesus, corrupt politicians, don't be afraid, double minded, eternal life, excellent qualifications, excuse, faith, global village, globalization, God's faithful, gospel truth, greed, grow in faith, hold fast, human-rights, hunger and thirst for righteousness, hungry hope, in God's good time, inept leaders, inhumane practices, keep life and limbs together, lackeys, lay offs, LOVE, maximize profits, peace, peace of mind, prosperous society, ruse, salvation, shortsightedness, sufferation, thankful for jobs, the confession of our faith, the wicked will eventually pay, union with Jesus, unity, waivering faith

Hebrews 10:23.    Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Oh Friends, it’s already Tuesday! Wow! That means Friday and Freedom soon come! (smile) Yeh mih people, I know that many of us are labouring under less than ideal conditions, in less than ideal jobs. But as we sang in our Battle Hymn yesterday, we’re still thankful for them because they at least keep life and limbs together.

Unfortunately though, there are so many many today, in this supposedly prosperous society, who don’t have jobs, in fact can’t find one, even though they have excellent qualifications, and sadly, many more are being laid off every day.

Ah Lord eh! What a mess of things these foolish, misguided, inept, corrupt politicians whom we call leaders, have made of this world!

That’s because they aren’t true leaders, but just the lackeys of the greedy, short-sighted, inhumane captains of industry, who are only concerned about the almighty bottom line and the abnormal profits they can make. They don’t give a damn about those they condemn to ‘sufferation’ through their inhumane practices!

And all this talk about globalization and a global village is just that, a ruse, an excuse for them to move their money, means of production and power anywhere around the world so that they can maximize their profits on the backs of the struggling poor of the new country, without an iota of concern for those unfortunates they’ve left high and dry behind in their last location.

But Friends, as the Good Book says so many times over, the wicked, the greedy and the proud will eventually pay for their evil deeds. Yes, my brethren, all will be made right in God’s good time. There’s absolutely no doubt about that, because we know that our God has promised it, and He’s eternally faithful, as the end of our Bit declares.

Therefore ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’

Yes my people, since our great God promised us eventual peace, LOVE, salvation and eternal life, and since He never reneges on a promise, then it is absolutely essential, totally necessary for us to keep hold of the hope and expectation that’s to be found in our faith.

And I like how somebody termed it, a hungry hope. Yes my brethren, we must exhibit a hunger and thirst for righteousness as our faith demands. For without a palpable hunger gnawing at our souls, our faith is very liable to waiver, and then we’ll become insecure, double minded and very wobbly, with no peace of mind about the issues of our faith.

And that is definitely not a welcome trait in a believer, for as James so wisely points out: ‘A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:8) And that’s a proven fact Friends!

In any case, even if we have nothing else, a believer ought to have peace of mind, because that’s one of the reasons Christ sacrificed His sinless life for us on that ghastly cross.

Listen to His assuring words on the subject. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27)

So my fellow believers, having received that unsurpassable peace of Jesus, let’s look at some scripture that then assures us of God’s faithfulness, starting in 1 Corinthians.

Right from the very beginning, in his introduction and greeting, Bruh Paul confidently assures them that, ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor.1:9)

Now hear this useful explanation from the scholars. ‘Unto the fellowship of his Son: The term ‘fellowship’ includes both union and communion. The Corinthian believers have been brought into union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, this great truth implies that they had been brought into communion with one another. Here in a nutshell is the theme of this epistle.’

And so have we also my brethren, been brought into union and communion with Christ and each other. Unfortunately though we don’t seem to regard those two things as highly as we should, otherwise our lives would not be as lacking as they are in true LOVE and unity, both with Christ and with each other.

But that’s a topic for another day. And anyway, if there’s real truth in our hearts, we all know that we’re not being as Christ-like and righteous as we ought to and can be.

Now let’s end with this scripture from 1 Thessalonians, where Bruh Paul exhorts them to stand strong in the faith, and do what is right, because ‘Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.’ (1 Thess.5:24)

And that’s the gospel, gospel truth my Friends!

Once the Lord calls us to Him, or to do anything for Him, He will faithfully see us through it. Please have no doubts about that, cause I can testify to it from personal experience.

However, it is still very necessary that each and every believer should experience that faithfulness for themselves, because it’s only as each of us personally experiences God’s goodness, mercy, LOVE and faithfulness that we’ll individually grow in faith.

So please hang in there, even if times are rough, and do whatever God calls you to do. You’ll see that He won’t ever let you down, and your faith will grow as a consequence of it all. Much LOVE!

…if God had not planned on being faithful to us…He’d never have sent Jesus to die for us…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 March 2013 Job 16:1-2

03 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: afflictions, anger, bodies and souls, christianity, comfort, comforters, compassion, condemnation, consolation, dictates, dire need, direction, dust, empathy, gentleness, God's guidance, grief, guidelines, hearts minds, judgement, lambastes, LOVE, LOVING_kindness, positive effect, provoke, rebuke, relieve, reproach, resentment, seek God early, spirituality, straight and narrow path, strife, sufferation, tribulation

Job 16:1-2. Then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Oh Friends, another today is here! The question is how will we use it? Will we use it wisely, or unwisely? For all our sakes, I certainly hope we use it wisely, otherwise we’d be placing our selves, both our earthly and eternal lives, in serious jeopardy. And what does using today wisely mean, or entail eh? It simply means giving our hearts, minds, bodies and souls to God! Turning to Him for guidance and direction, each and every day of our lives, while attempting to walk the straight and narrow path that comply with His guidelines and dictates. So basically, using the day wisely, means allowing God to direct our footsteps. And the best way to do that is by seeking Him early in the morning, as soon as we get up, possibly before we even open our eyes, just be conscious that we’re awake. That gives the evil fool Lucifer less time to gang up on us and cause us to deviate from the straight and narrow before we’ve even begun the day. As the ole people would say, ‘take in front, before in front takes you.’ And you know it’s always best to read the directions on a package before using its contents, as well as know where you’re going before setting out on your journey. The same applies to starting our day. So Friends, let’s try and make it a habit of starting our day with God, as soon as possible after arising nuh. I guarantee that our days will turn out much better that way. Now turning to our Bit: ‘Then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: miserable (troublesome) comforters are ye all.’ Oh my brethren, what a story is Job’s later life! He’s living as righteous and faithful as he can, then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, he loses everything; his family, his health and his wealth. Unknown to Job, the Lord’s using him as a righteous example to Lucifer. And Job stays the course fairly well, obviously unhappy and confused, but not blaming or cursing God. But then, some days later, three of his buddies, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, who heard of his ‘sufferation’, show up together ‘to mourn with him and to comfort him.’ (Job 2:11) From what the Good Book says, Job must have been a real mess, because when his friends first saw him, they didn’t recognize him; ‘they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle (each tore off his robe), and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.’ (Job 2:12-13) Now that was real brotherly of them, and maybe they should just have kept their silence throughout their stay, because after that each one of them lambastes Job about why such a terrible disaster had befallen him. They all figure he’s committed some horrible sin, for which God has punished him. But Job knows that there’s no such horrible sin in his life. No wonder he’s astounded at the way his supposed friends lash out at him. Early on, he reproaches them by saying. ‘To him that is afflicted (despairing) pity (kindness) should be showed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away.’ (Job 6:14-15) Not only did Job’s friends berate him unfairly, his close relations had also forsaken him in his time of dire need. But that’s how it usually goes, although it’s not supposed to. Those who are suffering should be shown compassion and empathy, not dragged roughly across the coals, even though they may done something to bring the disaster on themselves. All that does is add to their afflictions and their sorrows. Then after our Bit, before complaining about God’s dealings with him, Job again rebukes his friends. ‘Shall vain (empty) words have an end? Or what emboldeneth (provokes) thee that thou answerest? I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead. I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of (comfort from) my lips should assuage (relieve) your grief.’ (Job 16:3-5) Now that’s the way it should be my brethren! Whatever we do, or say, should have a positive effect on those who are sorrowful, not increase their sorrow, as Job’s friends did to him with their harsh, unfeeling words. That’s like the unfair snap judgements many of us make in this unfair and judgemental world. We’re quick to jump down the throats of others and criticize them from mere outward appearances, without having any knowledge of the true situation. Remember Jesus said; ‘Judge (condemn) not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured to you again.’ (Matt.7:1-2) That means we should not be condemning others, judging their inner motives, especially on prejudiced information, neither use ourselves as a standard for the judgement, because it’s by that same standard we’ll be judged. Obviously Job’s friends didn’t follow those rules. Anyway my fellow believers, I believe we’ve got the general picture here, and since time and space are running out on us, let’s end with some wise words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians, on the topic of comfort that we all know, or should know, but don’t practice sufficiently. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor.1:3-4) Bruh Paul is talking about his afflictions, and how God comforts him, so that he can comfort others. Now that’s how it also ought to be with us, my people! So as of today, let’s try to show a truer Christian side to our criticism and judgement nuh. Don’t condemn, and if we need to correct, let’s do it with gentleness and kindness, in LOVE, as Jesus does, and would have us do. Much LOVE!…the beauty of correcting or comforting with LOVING-KINDNESS…is that it greatly reduces the possibility of anger, strife and resentment…and greatly increases the chances of true comfort and consolation…

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