Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 December 2016 Psalm 119:57.

18 Dec 2016 Leave a comment

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

Psalm  119:57.    Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words. 

And then it was rain, mixing up with the snow, and with the lower night time temps, more likely than not turning to ice. Yes friends, that’s what we’re looking forward to this Sunday before Christmas 2016; an icy world. 

But yuh know what? That’s not going to stop us from going to the Lord’s sanctuary and celebrating His Sabbath Day. We going to get there, even if we have to walk and/or crawl. (smile) 

And when we get there we’re going to have glorious fellowship, with plenty thanks and praise and worship and preaching of the Word, so that we can leave feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, strong and full of confidence to go out and live a good and true Christian life in the upcoming week. 

Now let’s begin the praise and worship with this beautiful hymn, ‘O Come All ye Faithful.’ Yes my brethren, please let our faithful voices raise our praise and glory to high heaven in perfect harmony!  

‘O Come All Ye Faithful Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

O Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing all that hear in heaven God’s holy word. Give to our Father glory in the Highest; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning, O Jesus! For evermore be Thy name adored. Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.’ 

Ah mih people, this is the season of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’s birth in the lowly stable in Bethlehem, and we ought to be celebrating it with lots of enthusiasm, passion and spiritual awareness. Remember, Christmas is the occasion that got the whole Christian thing; the ball of salvation, forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, justification and the promise of eternal life rolling. 

And if we don’t fully appreciate it, we won’t be able to fully appreciate what it caused either. So please tone down the worldly activities, and instead raise the godly ones, for without Jesus there would be no Christmas, no gifts, no set of food, in fact no celebration at all at this time of year. 

And now that I’ve said my piece, (smile) let’s turn to our Bit, a powerful acknowledgement of God’s place in the psalmist’s life. ‘Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words.’ Yeh friends, the Lord ought to be our portion, and we ought to faithfully keep His words if we claim to be believers in His Son Jesus Christ. 

Now today I want to look at some other scriptures that uphold, which corroborate the words of our Bit. Let’s begin with something from Numbers. ‘And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance (a possession), for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.’ (Num.18:20-21) 

So Aaron and his descendants, the priests, would own no land in Israel. The scholars explain it thus: ‘18:8-20. In recognition of their altar service, the priests were to receive parts of the sacrifices, firstfruits of the harvest, and firstborn animals (cf. Lev.6:14-7:36; 27:26-33). The priests’ families could also eat from these offerings as long as they were “clean.” Their inheritance would be God Himself, who provided for their needs through His people’s gifts. (v.20) 

‘18:21-24. Tithing was now provided for the tribe of Levi (Gen.14:20; 28:22: Lev.27:30-33). The tithe was a payment for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation (v.21; cf.31). It also compensated for their lack of an inheritance in land. Later they were given 48 villages which were scattered throughout the land (34:16-35:8).’  

That means those in charge of running the tabernacle, had no other duties but looking after God’s house, and the Lord provided food for them from the gifts of the people. Now hear Bruh David from Psalm 16, where he seeks preservation and blessing. 

‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest (upholds) my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea, I have a goodly heritage (inheritance). I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins (heart) also instruct me in the night seasons.’ (Ps.16:5-7) 

Meanwhile, Jeremiah in his Lamentations boldly declares: ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul: therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:24-26) Wonderful advice my fellow believers! 

And we’ll end with some more wonderful advice, this time from the psalmist Asaph, from Psalm 73 – The mystery of prosperous wickedness. ‘My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (rock) of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (that are unfaithful). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ (Ps.73:26-28)  

Oh friends, the Lord God Jehovah, Creator and Controller of the universe, ought to be a big part of our lives if we truly believe. Now let’s take some time today and consider how big a portion He is in our lives, and as always, ask Him to help us make it bigger. For that’s wisdom of enormous proportions! Much LOVE! 

…the bigger the portion of God in us…the better…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 August 2016 Isaiah 35:4.

06 Aug 2016 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 35:4.  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.

Well a good Saturday morning to all you wonderful believers out there in LOVELAND! (smile) Yes friends, by the time we are finished with this world it will indeed be a land of LOVE, per Jesus and His LOVE Revolution! 

But you know what? To achieve that glorious aim, we, His foot soldiers have to truly be sincere and diligent and without further delay, seize the bull by the horns and just keep spreading the good news of His LOVE all over the universe! That’s the only way to ensure that the world is won for Christ!

Now it is indeed a tough situation to handle, what with Lucifer and all his evil minions also fighting for world superiority and supremacy, but look at what the handful of original disciples did with nothing but P2 (walking) and word of mouth.

It’s obvious therefore that with all the new technology available to us now, we can do umpteen times better than them! We just have to make up our minds to do it, then get on our horses and ride… (smile) 

And the wonderful thing is that nowadays you don’t have to even send out as many as missionaries as before, though they are still necessary, because a lot of the work can be done right where you are through the wonderful communications network we now possess.

So please, my brethren, let’s get really serious about spreading the LOVE of Christ nuh. Remember it’s our bounden duty, per the Great Commission. (Matt.28:19-20)  

Now let’s turn to some interesting words from our friend Anselm, who always aspires to inspire us. And in his first statement today, he seriously and wisely declares.

‘Do not let another human decide whether you are going to have a positive or negative day. You’re in charge of that decision, so make the decision to have a positive day regardless of how other people try to steer you in the negative direction.’ 

Ah friends, what awesome words of wisdom! We all know the controlling temperament that is predominant in today’s world, but as true believers, and strong individuals, we cannot afford to let others control us. Christ wants us to go in a positive direction, and that’s how we must go, regardless of what others think, say or do. We must make up our own minds. 

And the second quote from our wise friend Anselm, is even wiser than the previous one. Listen up; it’s titled “Life is how we view it.” And it asks these rather important questions. 

‘In your life, do you focus on those who have more than you or those who are less fortunate than you? Do you focus on how bad your job is or that you have a job? Do you focus on the smallness of your closet and house, or do you see that you have so many clothes you don’t have room to store them?

What eye are you looking out of? If you want the world to look differently, it may be easier for you to open the other eye than to paint the world.’ 

Well my people, I do hope that our answer to each question was the second half and not the first, because the first means we are too world oriented, with big eyes (greedy and jealous), allowing the lusts of the flesh to control us. And sadly, under those circumstances it’s not conducive to work sincerely for Jesus.

So please let’s ponder our situations, re that quote above, and make sure that we bring our focus into line with that of Jesus, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, after which all those other things will be granted to us. (Matt.6:33) 

And before we run out of space and time, let’s turn to our awesome Bit for the last time. ‘Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense: he will come and save you.’  

Oh my fellow believers, that one sentence is packed with so much encouragement, reassurance and promise, that if we truly believe it, there’s nothing in this evil, ungodly world that will faze us or make us fearful!

And why is that? Because it’s the solemn and faithful promise of our omnipotent God, the Creator of the universe and all therein, who never makes idle promises,  and furthermore, He has the power to make each and every one come true. 

Now listen to an example of the great power invoked in a promise, it concerns the strengthening of Daniel to receive his vision by the great river. “Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong.

And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.’ (Dan.10:18-19) What awesome power eh friends! And only the Lord God Jehovah, our wise and great God has it! 

And we’ll close with some more awesome words, from the song of praise by the redeemed. Hear Isaiah tell it like it is. ‘He will swallow up death in victory (forever); and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Is.25:8-9) 

Yes friends, that is the wonderful God that we worship! Therefore there is no need to be afraid or anxious for anything, because He will always look out for us, once we remain under the safe and protective umbrella of His everlasting wings! Much LOVE!

…all glory and honour be to the LIVING GOD…omnipotent…omniscient…and omnipresent…there’s none other like Him…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 March 2016 Psalm 77:13‏‏‏‏‏‏

06 Mar 2016 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 77:13.   Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary (holiness): who is so great a God as our God?

Oh friends, it’s the day of the Lord, as celebrated by a majority of Christians! So I do hope that we have all gotten, or are in the process of getting our weekly celebration, gathering with other believers to worship and praise and give thanks to our great God and receive his encouragement and strength and peace and wisdom to endure the vicissitudes of life for another week! Praise His holy name, for He is indeed a great God! 

Now please note that the Bit is not late. (smile) That’s just the way God planned it. You see I was up early this morning, participating in some devotions, then got ready and went to church. 

And you know on this paradise island of Tobago, like everything else, church is also laid back and does take some time. I read the first reading and I shook my tambourine and sang as loudly as I could, given my current asthmatic condition! Glory Hallelujah! 

Then I came home and had breakfast, some bake and saltfish, and the obligatory nap came after. (smile) Only thing is it turned into a little more than a nap, since I had not had a decent night’s sleep last night.  So you see everything is indeed working out according to God’s plan; I’m up now bright and beautiful and rearing to go! 

And talking about bright and beautiful, I see some dark clouds massing up over the southern horizon, seemingly portents of rain which we desperately need in this continuing dry season. 

But I won’t hold my breath because over the last few days it has been particularly cloudy, but nary a drop of heavenly blessing has fallen. The strong winds seem to blow them away at the last minute. But then again that might just be God’s plan, and indeed His prerogative. 

And this Sunday morning, or rather afternoon, I want to remind us of one thing; it’s a quote attributed to the renowned British playwright and novelist, William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965). He reputedly declared that ‘The unfortunate thing about this world is that good habits are so much easier to give up than bad ones.’ 

And isn’t that the gospel truth my people! We all have been plagued by habits, both good and bad, at some time(s) in our lives and unfortunately, or in some cases fortunately (smile) the bad ones were always the hardest to give up. 

Now why is that eh? I suspect that it has something to with our fallen nature, because most of the bad habits are usually associated with the wrong thinking and beliefs of the lustful and deceitful world which we ofttimes seem to cherish more than the good habits of our wonderful God. 

Now that’s just a reminder to be very careful of those bad worldly habits. When they come a calling, or rear their ugly heads in our lives, we need to resist them with every ounce of our beings, through prayer and fellowship, or else they will most certainly lead us down the garden path to more confusion and corruption in our lives than is necessary. End of sermon. (smile) 

Now let’s turn to our Bit which espouses the greatness of our God Jehovah. ‘Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary (holiness): who is so great a God as our God?’ 

And for all true believers, we know that there is NOBODY as great as our God! As I keep asking, how could there be, when He is the one who created the universe and all therein basically through the spoken word. Who, or what, could be mightier than that eh, to just talk the world into existence? 

NOTHING or NO ONE! 

And we’ll continue looking at some scripture that proves our contention, beginning with the patriarch Abraham, who left his family at seventy-five years of age and wandered out into the unknown because of God’s promise to magnify Him if he obeyed His will. (Gen.12) 

And we all know that God did magnify him, because today, thousands of years later, we talk about and worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

And how about the Lord’s promise that Abraham would have an heir out of his own loins with his aged wife Sarah? (Gen.18, 21) Who but a great and mighty God could fulfill such a promise when one party was a hundred years old and the other ninety eh, both way past childbearing age? 

The Lord God Jehovah is His name! 

And again when the prophet Samuel’s mother, Hannah, beseeched the Lord to end her barren womanhood, because she was having a hard time with the mocking of her husband Elkanah’s other fruitful wives, what happened? 

Having promised to give the child into His service, the Lord looked down with favour and granted her her heart’s desire, and made him a great prophet amongst his people. (1 Sam.1) 

And who caused Bruh David to kill the mighty Philistine giant with five small stones and a sling shot (catapult) eh? Nobody else but the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! 

Now listen to these immortal words that Bruh David spoke to Goliath. ‘Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite (strike) thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.’ (1 Sam.17:45-47) 

And it happened just as he declared it! 

Oh friends, I have to chuckle at Bruh David’s belly and backbone yes! Wish we all could have a little bit of it. Just imagine this little runt of a shepherd boy, talking to the mighty Philistine warrior like that nuh! 

But as I’ve always said, if nothing else, Bruh David knew on which side his bread was buttered, for despite all his mistakes and disobedience, he never forsook the God of his fathers. 

Oh my people, this Sunday, please let’s take all the stuff we’ve talked about and diligently mould it into our minds, bodies and souls nuh, so that we can have the courage, the chutzpah of Bruh David, to stand up strong and declare our great God, when the enemy comes against us. 

This I pray in Jesus name. Amen! Much LOVE my people!

…a believer’s bread is buttered on only one side…that of the Lord’s…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 November 2015 Psalm 114:7

27 Nov 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 114:7.   Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.

Well Friends, it’s Friday…Black Friday! And the voices sing out loud and clear: ’TGIF! Thank God is Friday, Black Friday, and we going down to the sales and buy to our hearts delight. Oh thank God for the weekend and Black Friday. Mama Yo! What a time it will be!’ 

Ah mih people, how sad that sounds. Another contrived day of commercialism; the Friday after the U.S thanksgiving is now widely known as Black Friday. It has nothing whatsoever to do with a Friday that falls on the 13th of the month, but all to do with an avalanche of supposed sales that have people rushing to the stores to buy stuff that they mostly don’t need or cannot afford. 

I’ve been receiving flyers for this most inauspicious occasion all week long. Steups! And the behaviour of these sale hounds is oftimes very disgusting, especially over the door crashers. People have been trampled in the mad rush to get into the stores first, so they can have a chance at the door crasher. It has finally become true to its name 

Ah Lord eh! What’s next eh? Don’t you know? Cyber Monday! Monday coming! That’s the online version of Black Friday. Chuh! And yuh know what, these arranged sales usually hook the people who can least afford them, and they get into a set of debt and further problems. 

And sometimes I wonder how these business people expect the populace to buy their expensive stuff when so many are not working, when everyday you hear more people are being laid off to cut costs. 

Yes Friends, it’s all about the bottom line; the moneyed class doesn’t care about the workers and how they fare, they are just interested in profit, at whose demise doesn’t really matter. 

Anyway, enough of my griping. I’m sure some of you reading this are all caught up in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday scenario too. (smile) 

It’s Friday, so let’s chant out Friday Chant as though we truly mean it. As one chanter 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.’ 

Now that is the kind of perspective we ought to have on Fridays and the weekend, not sales madness or other debauchery and licentiousness. (smile) 

Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.’ 

Oh my brethren, that sentiment comes from an obscure psalm, Psalm114, superscripted; ‘God’s power demonstrated in the Exodus.’ 

Sad to say, but I’ve never noticed it before this morning while looking for a suitable Bit, and I’m sure many of you are the same. That’s because it’s not a well-known psalm, nobody talks about it. But precious people, the Lord God Jehovah obviously wanted to bring it to our attention this Black Friday morning. (smile) 

So, since we don’t know it, let’s hear what it says nuh. ‘When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language (having a foreign language): Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion. The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven (turned) back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs. 

What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest (fled)? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back (turneth back)? Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; Which turned the rock into a standing (pool of) water, the flint into a fountain of waters.’ 

And that’s all there is to Psalm 114. It doesn’t sound as majestic and moving as some of the others that we’re accustomed to, but it is still important, in that it reminds us of the Exodus of the Jewish people out of Egypt and the mighty deeds that the Lord our God did to get them out. 

Now listen to the scholars take on it. ‘Psalm 114. A highly poetic description of the Exodus, this psalm emphasizes both God’s power displayed (vv.3-6) and His provision supplied (v.8). The God of Israel’s deliverance (vv.1-2) is still their God (v.7), the implication being that He can still unfurl His power. The world must therefore take notice.’ 

Oh Friends, the sentiments contained in those last two sentences are of immense importance to us today. The Lord God Jehovah is still our God today, have no doubt about it! And His awesome power is still available and still being put to good use, and the world ought to take suitable notice. 

Unfortunately though, the world is not taking notice of God’s might and power and are simply going their own way. Foolishly, they are not noticing the signs and wonders that are happening all around them, indicating that the Lord still reigns and still has the power to move mountains, seas, and whatever have you. 

Thankfully though my fellow believers, we know better than that. We recognize the One True God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who created the world and still controls it, contrary to the thinking of the heathen. 

So please, as we go about out business this Black Friday, let’s remember that the Lord of Hosts is still on His throne and still in control, and is still LOVING and caring for us, so we have nothing to fear. That’s wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!

…remember the Lord…when He saved you out of your troubles…and be thankful…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 July 2015 Psalm 46:1‏

04 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 46:1.  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.    

HAPPY  4TH  OF  JULY  U.S. OF A!

Happy Birthday U.S of A! Yes Friends, the greatest nation the world has ever seen is 239 years old today!

Unfortunately, those United States of America are no longer the powerhouse they used to be. Why, you ask? Simply because they have turned away from the God of their fathers, and have now embraced idol worship. When the thirteen States of the Union declared independence from Great Britain in 1776, the guiding light of their founding fathers was the Lord God Jehovah.

Several States had been founded because their occupants, like the Quakers, had been running away from religious persecution in Britain. And why do you think the U.S became such a powerful nation? Because the basis, the foundation for living was based on the Holy Word of God! And we all know that the Word of the Lord is immensely powerful, even to the moving of mountains, and those who sincerely follow it will become powerful too.

Sadly though, in the last few generations the tide has turned, and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob no longer holds near as much sway in the U.S. as it once did. And as the godly character disappeared, so did the prosperity.  

God has been removed from the public schools and government offices, churches are no longer as sacred and important as they used to be. Consequently God is not being taught in the homes either, with the overall result being that God is now severely mocked in the U.S. and instead of being one of the most God-fearing countries in the world; it is now the world’s SIN capital.  

Ah Lord eh! When I hear of some of the sinful abominations that now occur in the U.S, I just have to shake my head in disgust. Even Lucifer, the prince of darkness, who now controls the country, must shake his head in wonder.

Anyway, we’re not here to condemn, but the pertinent facts must be stated without being glossed over. We are here rather to try and raise the level of godliness again, so that the once mighty nation can restore some of its lost glory, and bask once more in the sunshine of God’s grace and mercy. It is never too late to repent and return to God.

The ancient Jewish people knew that and were wise enough to repent when they had fallen by the wayside.  And America right now needs a massive inflow, a great upheaval of repentance and rejuvenation of godliness, so that Jesus’ LOVE Revolution can prevail, and the nation rise once again, like the phoenix from its ashes.

And not only for them, but for the whole world, because although they are not as mighty as they once were, unfortunately, still as they go, so does the rest of the world. So please pray sincerely, seriously and often for America to return to God’s fold, for we will all be blessed by that most significant occurrence.

Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.’

Oh Friends, right there is such a statement of absolute and indisputable truth, that if we would only sincerely embrace it, our lives and our world would be so much better!

And the confident declaration of Bruh David, when he fled from the rebellion of his son Absalom as stated in Psalm 3 – a prayer of confidence in God, certainly corroborates our Bit. ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.   Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of (the one who lifts up) mine head.’ (Ps.3:2-3)  

Oh my brethren, more absolute and indisputable truth! Bruh David wasn’t just making this up, writing beautiful poetry for poetry’s sake, but he was living the tough and terrible times. And his confidence in the God of his fathers was so great, that he continues thus. ‘I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.   Selah.

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3: 4-6)

What total confidence and trust in Almighty God! How many of us nowadays can say that with as much confidence and trust eh? Not too many. But Bruh David lived it Friends, and if we live for God too, then eventually we will be able to speak with such boldness and sincerity. And here is how he ends the Psalm. ‘Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people.   Selah.’ (Ps.3:8)

Yes Friends, salvation is of God. It is His free gift through Jesus Christ, and His blessings are always upon those who LOVE, worship and adore Him!

Oh how I wish the once godly societies could repent and go back to serving and worshipping the One and ONLY TRUE GOD, Yahweh, then life here on earth would be so much better.

But not to worry, we’re working on it, slowly but surely, and one day, in the not too distant future, victory will be ours! God has promised it, and we all know that He faithfully keeps His promises, we just have to do our part, which is simply to live for Him and spread His Word.

Now let’s go home with the closing words of Psalm 46, from which our Bit is taken. The sons of Korah unabashedly declare: ‘The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.   Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.   Selah.’ (Ps.46:7-11)  

And all God’s people declared a loud and proud shout of ‘Praise be to the mighty God of Jacob! He is indeed our refuge and our strength, our salvation and our help in time of trouble!’

Yes Friends, now let’s go out and live it nuh, let’s go out and walk the talk. Much LOVE!

 …oh let the Lord be exalted in all the earth…so that the heathen can come to Him…in sincere repentance… and receive the wonderful gifts of salvation and eternal life…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 May 2015 Psalm 22:9 ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏

01 May 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 22:9.   But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me HOPE (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.

And then it was Friday – the first day of May – May Day, May Day!
 
And the working population readily chimes in with: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here! Thank God it’s Friday yes! This has been a brutal week, and we do need the rest from slaving for massa.’
 
Now that might be so, but here’s another iron in the fire. Do you remember those May Day High School dances, the first Saturday in May, where we’d dance the maypole? If you do, then you are a real old-timer, but one filled with lots of wisdom and experience.
 
Ah Friends, it’s another glorious morning to be alive, brimming with the joy, LOVE, peace, mercy, grace, compassion and forgiveness that’s only to be found in Jesus Christ! Glory be to God!
 
Now here’s an interesting quote from Cervantes (Miguel Cervantes 1547-1616) the famous Spanish writer, whose novel Don Quixote, was supposedly the first novel to gain international acclaim. Anyway, Cervantes reputedly said that ‘Where there is music, there can be no evil.’
 
And that’s very true to a large extent, for when sweet music is bubbling forth from our hearts how can we ever imagine evil thoughts eh? Plus music lifts us out of our bad moods, out of our depression, and helps us forget our problems for a while. It’s also a special source of happiness that we can take with us wherever we go.
 
And I can personally vouch for all of that Friends, for music has been the mainstay, the constant companion of my many years on this earth. When Friends and family forsake you, music NEVER will. And hopefully it will continue to be my companion for the rest of my days, and even afterwards in heaven, where music and singing seem to be a big thing.
 
And since we seem to be into music this morning, let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, with all the passion it deserves. ‘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, regardless of the day, the celebration or occasion, we need to have the right perspective on the weekend, if we’re going to be ready for Monday when it comes around. And that means being careful not to give Beelzebub even a toehold in our lives.
 
And one way to do that is through HOPE, the HOPE that is found in Jesus! For as Bruh David truthfully declares in our Bit: ‘But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me HOPE (caused me to trust) when I was upon my mother’s breast.’
 
Yes my people, our Creator wisely put that never give up emotion of HOPE in our hearts from the moment we were born! And we’d be very foolish to let it go out, disappear from our souls, for it’s our pilot light, the steady flame that keeps our mojo working at all times. (smile)
 
Now let’s see what great scriptures on the subject we can find in the Good Book to titillate our senses. And we’ll begin with an interesting verse from Ecclesiastes, where the Preacher informs us that: ‘For to him that is joined to all the living there is HOPE: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.’ (Eccl.9:4) I guess he is just saying what we believe, that while there is life there’s always HOPE.
 
Now listen to Jeremiah: ‘Truly in vain is salvation HOPED for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.’ (Jer.3:23) Yes my brethren, ONLY from the Lord God Jehovah can salvation be HOPED for and truly found!
 
And the author of Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, has this to say on the subject. ‘Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my HOPE. Hold thou me up (uphold me), and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes (observe thy statutes) continually.’ (Ps.119:116-117)
 
Oh my people our God will NEVER let us be ashamed of our HOPE in Him! That’s a forgone conclusion! All who HOPE in Him will be upheld with His powerful right hand! That’s His faithful promise!
 
But by the same token, we have our part to play in the relationship; to observe His statutes. And sadly that’s where the relationship usually breaks down. We want to have our HOPE upheld, but aren’t too keen on observing God’s commands. And that just can’t work Friends, for the relationship with God is a two way street, not just a one-way lane.
 
And we’ll end this series of messages on HOPE with a rather appropriate verse from Psalm 39, where Bruh David is praying for self-understanding. In the midst of his prayer, he loudly proclaims: ‘And now, Lord, what wait I for? My HOPE is in thee.’ (Ps.39:7)
 
Words of absolute truth and wisdom my fellow believers! Let’s keep that verse as a red flag always before us, so that we know why, and where our HOPE in this evil world comes from.
 
And I do HOPE that all we’ve said about HOPE in these past few days will continue to resonate and reverberate in our hearts, minds and bodies, so that we don’t lose our strength, faith and direction that’s to be found in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Much LOVE my fellow believers!
 
…HOPE…it is the eternal channel…that keeps us tuned into…our Creator…the Most High God Jehovah…

 

 

 

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 October 2014 Psalm 22:11

12 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 22:11.     Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
 

Well hello there Friends and Neighbours, another Sunday has rolled around! As the song says: ‘We’re right back where we started from;’ Sunday, the first day of the week.
 
And that means fellowship, worship, a gathering of faithful believers to give thanks and praise and receive blessings, encouragement, friendship, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and all the wonderful things our great God so generously bestows on us, His marvellous children! (smile)  
 
And all God’s children declared a loud and ecstatic’ Praise the Lord for His goodness to us, undeserving though we may be!’
 
Yes Friends, our great God is indeed worthy of much praise, especially on this weekend when we choose to celebrate the feast of Thanksgiving here in Canada. That means all the sanctuaries should be filled to overflowing with believers, whether there are thousands in a big, new, pretty building, or a handful under a mango or apple tree. (smile)
 
Remember what Jesus said: ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.’ (Matt.18:20) So the surroundings aren’t all that important, just the people and what’s in their hearts – the LOVE of Jesus! Consequently, ALL believers ought to find some means of joining with others to celebrate the Sabbath Day in the Lord’s Name!
 
And remember too Friends, that when we treat the Sabbath Day, the first day of the week, as it ought to be treated; with worship, praise and togetherness, then the rest of the week will unfurl so much better than if we are wanton and worldly. It’s always better to come up over a situation or a problem, than to have the situation or problem come up over you.
 
And the only way we can do that on a fairly consistent basis is by turning to the Lord God Jehovah for help at ALL TIMES!  Why? Because as our Bit so wisely and truthfully declares: ‘Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.’ And truer words were never spoken my brethren!
 
So let’s continue with some scripture passages that prove our point and bolster our faith in Almighty God. And we’ll begin with these poignant words from Psalm 46 – God is our refuge and strength, from the sons of Korah. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.
 
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.   Selah.’ (Ps.46:1-3)
 
Yeh Friends, take a moment to ponder those statements nuh! What words of wisdom, truth, courage, strength and faithfulness!
 
Now listen to Bruh David from Psalm 124 – Praise for deliverance from enemies. ‘Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of a snare of the fowlers (bird trappers): the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’ (Ps.124:6-8)
 
And isn’t that the gospel truth my people? It certainly is!
 
But just in case you don’t believe the psalmists, then hear the words of God Himself, as spoken through the prophet Isaiah, re the final restoration of Israel. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is.41:10)  
 
Oh my fellow believers, what could be more uplifting and encouraging than that eh? Nothing! When our powerful and faithful God promises something, we know for a fact that it will come to pass, for He cannot lie, and thus ALWAYS does as He says!  Glory Hallelujah!
 
That’s why I can’t understand how, in this modern day and age, when everything is going haywire and things are topsy-turvy, we are turning away from God in anger and faithlessness, rather than running full speed into His ever-LOVING arms for protection, strength, LOVE, succour and guidance.
 
And just to prove that our wonderful God is not a wishy-washy, unfaithful Deity, who just talks for talk sake, listen to the prophet Hosea, as he declares the Lord’s words, when foretelling the destruction of Israel.
 
‘O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.’ (Hos.13:9-11)
 
Yes Friends, through the source of His mighty power, the Lord gives…and He also takes! Which man or other supposed deity can say Him nay eh? NONE WHATSOEVER!
 
So my people, on this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, let’s all make it a time of joy nuh, of giving serious and sincere thanks, of being faithful, of getting together in worship, and above all, remembering that Jehovah God is the source from which all blessings, help, prosperity and all good things flow. Do have a happy Thanksgiving weekend. Much LOVE!
 
…be not wise in thine own eyes…fear the Lord…and depart from evil…it shall be health to thy navel (body)…and marrow (strength) to thy bones… (Prov.3:7-8)

 

 

 

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