A Society without Divine Guidance, without the Moral and Spiritual Law of God, ends up in Chaos!

Proverbs 29:18.       Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Ah friends, the people have spoken! They have elected an old, inept, incompetent, corrupt, vengeful, white male wannabe dictator as the 47th President of the United States, thus assuring the continuation  of the U.S. as a bastion of white, male supremacy! But isn‘t that what U.S. democracy is all about – life and liberty and justice for the white population? It’s ever been so, and it’s not going to change while the rich white folk are controlling the purse strings that lead to power. It’s time to stop pussy footing and call a spade a spade! 

And isn’t it also interesting that Trump can only win against women candidates. The first time he defeated a white woman, and now a black woman, both of whom are younger, more intelligent and capable than him. In between he was beaten by another old white male. What does that say about the U.S eh? That they’re simply not interested in having a woman lead their government! 

Now, that reminds me of something that I noticed when I first came to North America, fifty two years ago; that North American men are afraid of women. In the West Indies, men were not so much afraid of women, but knowing that they would take the bull by the horns and do whatever was necessary, they became lazy, preferring to sit around and drink and shoot the breeze, while the womenfolk did most of the work. 

But to this day, in North America we still try to keep women tied to the home and children, and the lesser jobs, while the macho men go out and do the supposedly important work that they believe women cannot do. The trouble is that deep down they know that women are mentally and emotionally stronger than them, and can also do a better job, if given the chance. Just look at the mess males, especially white males have made of our world eh. But the proverbial glass ceiling still tries to throttle their rise to greatness, as the old, white boys club keeps a strangle hold on the reins of power. 

And it’s strange that I got an interesting quote yesterday from a friend, which says: ‘The reason people resist change is that they focus on what they have to give up, instead of what they have to gain.’ And that’s very true, since change means forgetting some of the old, hopefully for a better new. But most of us are still afraid of change, especially when we don’t have a good idea of what’s ahead. 

And we’ll close this section of our Bit, with these very appropriate words of some wise person. ‘The people get the government they deserve.’ And that’s the gospel truth! By the way, for all of us Canadians who are thumbing our noses at the U.S. for what we consider a terrible choice, please beware that there’s also much dissension in our land, and that there’s also a wannabe dictator quietly waiting in the wings to grab power, if we foolishly elect Him! Nuff said! 

That brings us to an interesting and also appropriate bit of scripture for these chaotic times. Its these visionary words of Cousin Sol from Proverbs. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) In other words my brethren, where there is no prophetic vision in the land, the people run amok, run wild and thus eventually suffer. Meanwhile the New Living Translation (NLT) puts it like this: “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.” The “lack of vision” is referring to not knowing God, to not having that guidance of the Holy Spirit.’ 

And this article on the subject from the bibleref.com website, further enlightens us. They say: ‘This verse emphasizes the extraordinary value of God’s Word. Before the Bible was complete, God revealed His will through prophets. They communicated God’s messages to the people. Solomon observes that the absence of divine revelation leads to moral and spiritual decline. Other lessons in the book of Proverbs point out the dangers which come with rejecting godly wisdom (Proverbs 3:1-2; 8:32-36) 

Without divine revelation people follow the dictates of their sinful nature. Instead of society experiencing calm, society wallows in chaos. This happened in the era of the Judges. First Samuel 3:1 tells us, “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” Judges 21:25 reports that in the times of the judges, “There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Invariably, when people do whatever they prefer, they do what is wrong according to the Lord’s will. Today, as in all times throughout history, the culture needs to know what is acceptable to God; the Bible supplies the information.’ 

But unfortunately, today, just like in the time of the Judges of Israel, there is no prophetic revelation, and therefore too many people are doing what they want; we’re just running wild, especially with the new technologies of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence. We no longer know what is truth from lies. No wonder the disastrous state of our world! And sadly, many people are also putting forth this foolish and unwise theory, as Bruh David writes in Psalms 14 and 53. 

‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back (turned aside): they are altogether become filthy (corrupt); there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.’ (Ps. 53:1-4) 

And that’s oh so true my brethren. Too many of us have not called on God, but rather on Satan, as we compromise and live the sinful life that the world promotes. But let’s remember, that THERE IS A GOD, a God, who is constantly looking down on us and sadly shaking His head in disappointment at our oh so sinful ways. Please, for the sake of our grandchildren and their children’s sake, let’s do something godly and worthwhile about it nuh, before it’s too late! 

Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if we endure right to the end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…contrary to popular opinion…there is a GOD…and there are consequences to ALL sin…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 December 2018 1 John 4:8.

1 John 4:8.   ​He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God IS LOVE!
 
And then it was Boxing Day! Glory be! All the confusion done now! Christmas not over, but Christmas Day has come and gone and we’re going to gradually revert to our old selves, no longer having to keep up with the hectic pace set by the world’s standards, and oftimes our own too. Except for those of you who still get caught up in the Boxing Day sales! (smile) 

And you can see by the lateness of the hour that ole fella slept in…But that’s what days like these are for…to recuperate from the joyful celebrations of yesterday! (smile) Hope you all had a good and joyful Christmas. Mine was simple but pleasant. And brother…food for days and endless days! Enough to feed an army, much less five people! (smile) And the sad part is that the ole fella is no longer able to do justice to his once upon a time favourite foods. How sad eh! (smile) But them’s the breaks! 

I do hope though that we all kept Jesus first place in our minds and lives yesterday, since He WAS and IS the reason for all our celebrations! I also hope that we found a few moments amidst all the joy and excitement to sincerely pray for those unfortunate people over in Indonesia, who recently suffered the devastating effects of a volcanic explosion that seems to have triggered an immense tsunami that washed away their lives and livelihoods. 

Another group that didn’t enjoy a festive Christmas is one out on our West Coast in British Columbia, where they suffered devastating effects from a windstorm, the worst in some two decades. Prayers, and whatever other assistance we can offer, will be in order for them my friends. 

And my eyes just fell on a piece of paper in front of me that contains a most appropriate quote from a Daily Bread Devotional. And it says: ‘In the darkest hours of life, only through the eyes of faith can we see the LOVING hand of God.’ And is that ever so true my people! In those real dark and troublesome times it’s only if our faith is strong and true that we can ever imagine a LOVING God out there in the universe! 

Otherwise, all our senses would either say there is no God, or God is not a LOVING Deity. But friends I’m here to tell us that that’s the furthest thing from the truth! There IS a God, and He’s a MOST LOVING Deity! Thus John, in his epistle seeks to strengthen our faith by letting us know that ‘He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God IS LOVE!’ 

Yeh friends, one of the many attributes of our omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God is that of LOVE! And if you don’t LOVE, then you don’t know God! Hear how John puts it: ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God.’ (1 John 4:7) 

However, as the scholars explain: ‘4:7. Mere human LOVE apart from Christ’s redeeming presence and motivation falls short of LOVE in its fullest dimension as a human response to God’s perfect and infinite compassion (cf. 1 Cor.13).’ Yes my brethren, unless Jesus is involved in our LOVE WALK, then we’re not truly walking in the LOVE of God. That’s why the scholars pointed us to that famous chapter in 1 Corinthians, titled the ‘Way of LOVE!’ 

And in this Christmas season, we have the perfect example of God’s unconditional and everlasting LOVE! As John says: ‘In this was manifested the LOVE of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.’ (1 John 4:9) Ah mih people, to truly understand God’s great LOVE, we need to see how He demonstrated it. And it all began with His sending of Jesus into the world at Christmas time to put His most awesome plan into action. 

As John continues: ‘Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that HE LOVED US, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.’ (1 John 4:10) Now that’s the real standard for true LOVE my fellow believers; God’s unmerited compassion for us! As Bruh Paul so bluntly and truthfully told the church at Rome: ‘But God commendeth his (demonstrates his own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom.5:8) 

Now only a truly magnanimous Deity would show such compassion for His enemies! And that’s also why John’s cry is so important in our faith community: ‘Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought also to LOVE one another.’ (1 John 4:11) Oh my friends in faith, there couldn’t be a more appealing cry than for more real and true Christian LOVE amongst out Christian community, especially in these dark and evil times, when the enemy seems to be in the ascendance! 

Let’s listen to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, as He pleaded with His disciples and also pleads with us: ‘A new commandment I give unto you. That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) 

Ah mih Christian breddren, that’s what our faith is all about; LOVE, especially at this Christmas time! So please, please, let’s stop breaking Jesus’ heart nuh, and begin showing true LOVE to each other, so that the world can see it and want to come to Him and receive the same unconditional LOVE that we have. That’s our basic purpose here on this earth. 

Now let’s go home sincerely and powerfully declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know our position in Christ! In unison now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And that future will be indeed more glorious than we can think or imagine! Much LOVE!

…let’s keep on talking our talk…and walking our walk…of LOVE…in Christ Jesus…Amen…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 August 2018 John 4:24.

John 4:24.   God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.

Aye mih breddren, this morning the Lord inspired me to share some of His beautiful creation with you. The attachments above contain some of the contents of my backyard garden, lovely stuff I get to look out at every time I look through my bedroom window. 

And it’s one of the first things I do every morning I get up. I just look out and drink up the beauty created through the Duchess’ green thumb and the Lord’s grace. Mine is just to admire, to feast my eyes on the wonder of nature! Glory be! You surely won’t hear me complain. (smile) 

But on a more serious note, I want us to consider this quote from Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) the 32nd President of the United States. He tells us that ‘Physical strength can never permanently withstand the impact of spiritual force.’ 

And isn’t that the God-awesome truth! Man’s physicality can never withstand the immense power contained in his spiritual being for any length of time. Just look at how the body shrivels up and dies over time, while the Spirit keeps getting stronger and lives forever. That means we should not always bow to our physical nature but pay more attention to our spiritual side. 

Remember we’re basically a Spirit being encased in a fleshly body, and the first ought to control the second. Just look at when we’re hurting physically, how our spirit can lift us up, bring us to our Higher Power, and even make us forget about those physical hurts. 

The spiritual side of our lives can always be relied on to enhance the physical, because that’s the way the Lord made it to be. So please, let’s not forget the importance of our spiritual nature as we journey through the dark times of our lives, for God created it to alleviate our ills, be they physical, emotional or whatever kind they might be. 

And the most important aspect of our Spirit is to be able to communicate with our omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well in our Bit? ‘God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.’ 

Yeh friends, our God is a Spirit Being and operates in the spiritual realm. So if we want to communicate with Him, we have to do so through the spirit that He has placed in us for that very purpose. Listen to this definition of God as proffered by the scholars. 

‘4:24. John gives three descriptions of God. He is a Spirit (John 4:24), LOVE (1 John 4:8), and Light (1 John 1:5). God is a spiritual being who is invisible and without a body; He is a divine person who reveals Himself in perfect intellect, emotion, and will: He is eternal in relationship to time. 

He is unlimited in relationship to the immensity of space; He is immutable (unchanging) in His nature; He is the unity of all existence; and He is consistent in His being – that is, He corresponds in actual fact to His nature and attributes as they are revealed to us. (First Ref. Gen.1:1; Primary Ref. John 4:24).’  

Ah friends, that might be a bit much for some of us to understand and digest, but all it’s basically saying is that our God is great; in fact the Greatest! He is a perfect, divine, spiritual Being. As the Good Book says, the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the Be All and End All! 

And the first words of that wonderful, exciting life giving and guiding tome tells it like it certainly is: ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was moved upon (hovered over) the face of the waters’ (Gen.1:1-2) 

Yeh friends, God made our world and us from scratch; one piece at a time, in perfect harmony, no chaos or confusion. Oh, the Story of Creation is such a mighty and wonderful one! No big bang and utter chaos and confusion thereafter. And in any case, what caused the big bang eh? Something must have caused it…It couldn’t have just happened out of nowhere and nothing… Could it be our God eh? (smile) 

Ah friends, enough with the theories, suffice it to say that there IS a God, One who looks down on, and controls the affairs of men, and if we’re wise we’ll get into concert with Him for He determines the outcome of ALL things and people. Our world doesn’t just run vikey vie by itself, there is a heavenly Controller whose name is Almighty God and it would be to our immense benefit to stay in His good graces. 

What more can I say eh? I’ve presented the facts, now it’s up to each individual to make their decision. Let’s hope we all make the right one. And for those of us who have already done so, let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know our position as it relates to Almighty God. 

In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. 

My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And that future will be even more glorious that we can ever imagine. Much LOVE!

…the wisest decision man can make…is to hang out with Jesus…

P.S. Sorry friends, but I could not put the pictures of the flowers in my backyard in the post, so you’ll just have take my word for it that they are beautiful. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 February 2018 Proverbs 1:7.

Proverbs 1:7.   The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning (principal beginning) of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

So it looks like it’s going to be a somewhat cloudy day in my neighbourhood, but the important things is that the light of the SON is shining brightly all over the world, wherever there are believers in His holy name! 

And all God’s children declared a loud and grateful, ‘Thanks be to the Father for Jesus, who’s sacrifice of His sinless life paid for all of our abominable sins!’ And was that ever a great and most memorable day in the history of mankind! 

Now listen to something I discovered the other day; the original form of the Serenity Prayer. I never even knew it existed, just knew of the short version that’s popular. But here is the real McCoy. (smile)  

Please pray with me: ‘God give me the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed. Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time. Enjoying one moment at a time. Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace. 

Taking as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is. Not as I would have it. Trusting that You will make all things right, if I surrender to Your will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this life. And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen!’ 

Ah mih people, isn’t that beautiful? It surely is! The short version is okay, but this longer version say it so much better. Oh, if we could only parcel or packet it and give it to each believer to keep deep in their hearts and souls! How much more effective we’d be in this tremulous world. 

Remember, taking it as it is, like Jesus did, and not trying to make it what we want it to be. Having the grace to know what’s what, and then the wisdom and courage to change what’s necessary. And above all, trusting the Lord and surrendering to His will, so that we can be happy here on earth. 

And I sincerely hope you know friends, that the only way we’ll ever be happy on earth is by trusting God and surrendering our will to His. Nothing else will ever work! And that just sets us up for the supreme happiness of being with the Lord in heaven forever! What a magnificent time that will be! 

But first we have to set it up from down here on earth, make the necessary preparations for that great time while we are yet mortal men. That makes it a matter of great urgency, for none of us knows when the grim reaper will come calling. And if he comes before we’ve made the necessary preparations, then crapaud smoke we pipe! 

And it will be very foolish to miss out on the forever joys of heaven, just to enjoy some of world’s now for now, short lasting, deceptive, carnal pleasures. That’s why Cousin Sol solemnly warns in our Bit:  ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning (principal beginning) of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ 

Yeh friends, we are certainly being foolish if we don’t take stock of Almighty God and all that He brings to the table. Listen to what Cousin Sol says later on in Proverbs. ‘Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.’ (Prov.17:12) 

Can you imagine that my brethren? A fool and his folly is so dangerous, that Cousin Sol believes it’s better to encounter a mother bear robbed of her cubs. And we all know how mother bears get very angry when her children are taken away from her. So what does it say about a fool eh, if it’s better to have an encounter with a desperate and angry animal than to be in cahoots with a fool?  

And Bruh David says in Psalms 14 and 53, when he talks about the foolishness of men: ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.’ (Ps.14, 53:1a) Now that certainly is foolishness! How can there be no God eh? There must be some greater Being than man. 

So how was everything made that was made eh? It just evolved from nothing? I very much doubt it. Friends, believe me, there is a God, who looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any that do understand, and that do seek Him. He controls the lives of men and the fortunes of the universe. 

Don’t let anyone try to fool you and tell you otherwise, because they would be playing with your salvation and your future place in heaven. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially where Almighty God is concerned. Wisdom dictates that we live as though there IS a God, trusting our earthly lives completely to Him. 

And there are so many instances of God’s reality in so many believers’ lives, that it’s totally foolish to think and/or believe otherwise. So please let wisdom have her say. And having put that foolishness to rest, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail, gloriously telling the world of our situation with Jesus. 

In sincerity, truth, and loud voice now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. 

My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And we all know that that future will indeed be glorious, because Jesus promised it, and His promises are ever-faithful and true!  Much LOVE!

…living for Jesus…is the wisest decision…a man can make…