Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 February 2016 John 15:12‏

15 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

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

John 15:12.   This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you.

And then it was Monday friends; time for laboring again; time to continue the daily grind and common task. And I know that some of you are ‘chuhing’ and ‘steupsing’ and complaining because you have to go to work, but by now we should all realize that it’s a part of life, and the sooner we get accustomed to it and accept it, the better off we will be. End of sermon. 

So to help us all, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with great enthusiasm, in perfect harmony, as our conductor Jesus leads us in song. 

As one voice now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. 

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’  

Oh my people, that was only a mediocre rendition! Jesus wasn’t really displeased, but He certainly expected more from us. 

Anyway, having boosted our spirits, let’s go out this first Monday in Lent and do our bounden duty nuh as specified by our Bit. ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you.’ 

Yes my brethren, it’s all about LOVE! If we live in LOVE, then all will be well! 

Listen to what the Good Book says on the subject. ‘Charity (LOVE) suffereth long, and is kind; charity (LOVE) envieth not; charity (LOVE) vaunteth not itself (doesn’t boast), is not puffed up (arrogant), Does not behave itself unseemly (rudely), seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil (keeps no account of evil); 

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity (LOVE) never faileth….’ (1 Cor.13:4-8a) 

Oh my fellow believers, I must admit that according to Bruh Paul’s words, real LOVE is indeed a hard row to hoe, but hoe it we must, as true followers of Christ. Christ did it for us, and we are expected to do it for each other, as our Bit directs. 

Now something here amazes me; yesterday we celebrated Valentine’s Day, a day supposedly of LOVE, now why can’t we just continue that attitude eh? Why do we have to revert to our less than LOVING selves eh? 

It certainly defies my understanding…unless what we show on Valentine’s Day is not real LOVE, just an outward show of gifts per the world, who treats it like just another big shopping day, a day to make money, to boost the economy. 

Oh I’m not that naïve to believe that we all share true LOVE on days like those, but even then why stop the generous giving afterwards? 

As Bruh Paul encourages us in Romans 12, when speaking about the service of LOVE to all. ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another.’ (Rom.12:9-10) 

And as the scholars tell us: ‘12:9. Without dissimulation (lit. “without hypocrisy”). The Christian’s conduct in the local church toward fellow believers is to be a volitional caring for others, LOVING faithfully in spite of the response received. The LOVE is to be genuine and unfeigned.’ 

I certainly can’t argue with that friends! And as John tells us in his first epistle: ‘If a man say, I LOVE God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that LOVETH not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he LOVE God, whom he hath not seen?’ (1 John 4:20) 

Now friends, that is the million-dollar question. We all claim to LOVE God, whom we’ve never seen, but yet hate our brethren, whom we have seen. It just doesn’t sound logical, but it’s a problem that we will all have to deal with, individually and as the church of Christ, as soon as possible, if we want to remain right with God. 

Now enough preaching for the day, (smile) you all will do whatever you want anyway. On a practical note, the duchess and I went to the Goat races yesterday in Buccoo. Yes you read right, ‘goat races!’ 

Usually it’s only held during the Easter weekend, but what with a new, good-looking facility, just built for goat racing, they need to have them more often, both to encourage the locals and to provide entertainment for the visitors. 

And believe you me, it’s organized just as a horse race; an approximately hundred yard running lane, with starting gates and jockeys, who don’t ride, but run behind the goats to guide them. 

The goats are equipped with numbers, the jockeys with whips, and they are divided into classes, with owners and trainers, and a commentator on the race, and no doubt betting on the sly. The only thing they lack is a camera at the finish line. Only in sweet Tobago! 

After watching about four races, we came home and rested, then later in the evening I took the duchess out for dinner to an exquisite, expensive restaurant she had been wanting to go to all along. I must say though that the food was good and the service excellent, so it was not a waste of time or money. 

And above all it kept the duchess happy. For remember, a happy wife, usually leads to a happy life. (smile) And on that note of wisdom, we’ll end for today. 

So friends, let’s try and boost the LOVE quotient in our lives nuh, for it is indeed the desire of Jesus, and the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!

…only genuine and consistent LOVE on our part…will boost Jesus’ LOVE Revolution…and eventually bring it to fruition…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 February 2015 1 Corinthians 13:1

14 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 13:1.  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (LOVE), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling (clanging) cymbal.

 HAPPY  VALENTINE’S  DAY!

Well Friends, it’s Carnival Saturday and the excitement is ramping up with the finals in most of the competitions scheduled for some time this weekend; three kings of song, kings and queens of mas bands and Panorama Steelband finals. But if the ole fella takes in any, it will be most likely over the boob tube. I don’t need the rush and push and expensive, long sitting down for those shows.

Oh, I forgot to wish all my Scrip-Bit readers a Happy Valentine’s Day! You can imagine the confusion down here with Valentine’s Day and Carnival weekend falling the same time.

Hn, Hn! Lots of ads for Valentine’s Day celebrations, but I believe the duchess and I won’t be doing much, possibly going up in the city later on to check out the happenings, get some roses from my sister-in-law’s flower shop, for her, but no real plans. Now children please don’t go telling her that and spoil the surprise.

Besides, the duchess is cooking a wicked pigeon peas soup, with Much LOVE, and I don’t think anything in any restaurant is going to taste as good as that. (smile) And per adventures, I didn’t have any yesterday, just went up by an old school friend, visited for a couple hours, then came home watched some cricket and went to bed.

But Chuh! It was possibly the worse night I‘ve spent since I’ve been here. I kept waking up every couple hours to go to the bathroom, then couldn’t get back to sleep because both my shoulders were aching and I couldn’t find a comfortable position. Finally on the after six waking up, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I just got up and stayed up.

Then around 8.30 I left to go and get some breadfruit from a friend, for the duchess to put in the soup. But lo and behold, I took a back road and got lost along the way. Then when I found my way again, I decided to go a little further to look for some fish, but there was no fish.

Then I went up the road to a bakery to get some bread, but there was no bread ready. So I bought some bake and salftfish for breakfast. I didn’t get to my friend’s place till almost nine thirty, then he kept me in some old talk, so I didn’t get home until ten. By then I was tired from all the running around, so I just had breakfast then rested. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! (smile)

Now re our Bit, I decided to take a break from giving and move to LOVE for today, because today is supposed to be the biggest day of LOVE all over the world, even though it’s very commercialized and tends more to the romantic kind.

But Friends, LOVE is LOVE in whatever form you find it, and if commerce causes us to be more LOVING to each other, then I certainly won’t complain, because LOVE is of God, and it’s the quality, the emotion we need most desperately in today’s evil and ungodly world.

And having read this rather appropriate passage in the One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin this morning, I couldn’t pass it up. Listen to these words titled ‘Morning Tribute.’

‘In all the years of my childhood, I doubt that we ever lived in a house where the sweet fragrance of roses didn’t permeate the air. I’ve never forgotten the summer ritual that made every breakfast a special event. Every morning my father would come in from the backyard with a freshly plucked rosebud – his token of LOVE for my mother.

Usually I’d be setting the table when Dad made the presentation…. “Here it is, sweetheart – your morning tribute.”  One morning while sunbeams played leapfrog on our kitchen wall my mother stopped stirring oatmeal. She dropped her wooden spoon and threw her arms around my father. I’ll never forget her words. “There are ten thousand ways of LOVING and you know them all!”

LOVE knows no limit to endurance; no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.’

Wow mih people! What beautiful words and sentiments of LOVE on this Valentine’s Day! And they are all true! How nice it would be if we could resort to that kind of LOVE every day of the year eh, not just on Valentine’s Day. It would just warm the cockles of God’s heart and make our world such a much better place to live.

Remember these memorable words of John from his first epistle? ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God. He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE!’ (1 John 4:7-8)

That’s why Bruh Paul was quite correct when he wrote our Bit to the Corinthians. ‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (LOVE), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling (clanging) cymbal.’

Yes Friends, we could be the greatest thing since sliced bread, with all the attributes, powers and honours that the world can bestow, if we don’t have charity, if we don’t have LOVE, then we’re NOTHING! And if you don’t believe me, then go and read the rest of 1 Cor.13, The way of LOVE, and let Bruh Paul convince you.

I was just thinking that that LOVE chapter should be mandatory reading for all of us, at least on Valentine’s Day. (smile) It would certainly put us in remembrance of what true LOVE is all about!

And mih people, as I sit here writing this, the peas soup is smelling mouthwatering good from the kitchen! Mama Mia! Can’t wait to get into it!

And I have one more interesting and appropriate quote on LOVE for us, from Jacques Maritain ((1882-1973), a prominent French philosopher and thinker. Jacques reminds us today that ‘We don’t LOVE qualities, we LOVE persons…’

And that’s how it ought to be my people. We shouldn’t LOVE others because of their qualities, but because they are people, like us, fallible and fickle, but God’s wonderful creation!

Now hear some more appropriate words from my One More Day Devotional, Daily Meditations for People with Chronic Illness. It tells us: ‘We don’t look for perfection in our LOVED ones, and we’re freed of the notion that we must earn another’s LOVE. LOVE balances our lives; it helps us keep sight of our values and priorities.’

Words of indisputable truth my people. And we’ll end with these immortal words from the LOVE Chapter. ‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity (LOVE), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor.13:13)

Words to live by my people. So please have a Happy Valentine’s Day. And remember, the word for today is LOVE! So please spread it far and wide. That’s what our LOVING God expects of us. Much LOVE!

…I will remember today…that I LOVE people for themselves…not for their potential…The LOVE I receive is given just as freely…’

 

 

 

     

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 February 2014 Proverbs 21:13

14 Feb 2014 Leave a comment

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

 Proverbs 21:13.   Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. 
                                           

                                   HAPPY  VALENTINE’S  DAY!
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, it’s Friday! Thank God it’s Friday! And the lucky workers around the world, though not always with the best intentions, are thanking God that it’s Friday, and they’re going to have a brief respite from their arduous labours.
 
Now that is all well and good, but what we do with the brief respite from work is also important. We cannot just waste it on riotous and dissolute living, but need to use it to replenish our strength; mentally, physically and emotionally.
 
So let’s chant our Friday Chant, which gives us the right perspective on how to use our oh so valuable weekend. All together now, in full voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.
 
Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
 
Now that’s a much better and wiser way to use our days off! And on another important note Friends, today is not only Friday, but also VALENTINE’S DAY; a day on which we celebrate LOVE!
 
And though it’s been highly commercialized, like almost every other important day, and is more or less viewed as a day for romantic LOVE, it’s still a day when we reach out and touch others.
 
And any day we do that is indeed a great day! For reaching out and touching others, showing some kind of LOVE is so badly needed and in such short supply in our greedy, angry, resentful and ungodly world!
 
And it really doesn’t matter all that much what kind of LOVE we touch others with nuh, once it’s TRUE LOVE, it goes a long way towards bringing peace, justice and equal rights to our unjust, war-like and oppressive times.
 
So today my brethren, when we think of LOVE and giving, let’s not only remember those nearest and dearest to us, with flowers, chocolates and whatever else the commerce peddlers throw at us, but more importantly, let’s stop for a moment and consider our Bit.
 
‘Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.’
 
Oh Friends, that is just another angle of the universal principle on which our just, merciful, gracious, forgiving, LOVING and sovereign God built His universe; whatever you sow, the same shall you reap. That means, generally speaking, whatever we do, will be done back to us.
 
So if the poor cries out to us for help and mercy, and we ignore them, at some future date, when we too cry out for help and mercy, we will not be heard, but also ignored. It’s a simple principle – tit for tat.
 
And our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ made it quite clear to us when He declared: ‘Judge (condemn) not, that ye be not judged (condemned). 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)
 
And as the scholars explain: ‘7:1-4. Judge not refers to an unfavourable and condemnatory judgement. This does not mean that a Christian should never exercise judgement of any kind under any circumstances. The point being made here is that we are not to judge the inner motives of another.
 
We are not to render a verdict based on prejudicial information. Nor are we to use ourselves as the standard of judgement for with what…ye mete (measure) you shall be judged. That ye be not judged refers to the ultimate judgement of God rather than our own judgement.’
 
Oh mih breddren, what’s so hard to understand about all that eh? Nothing at all! It’s like we say: it takes two to tango; two hands to clap; one hand can’t wash itself.
 
Yes my fellow believers, one of the most important words in our human vocabulary, regardless of the language, is ‘help.’ And one of the most important phrases is ‘help each other,’ for without somebody’s help, NONE of us can ever hope to prosper and succeed. That’s why the phrase ‘no man is an island,’ has also been coined.
 
The Lord God Jehovah didn’t make this world merely as a bunch of selfish, self-supporting individuals, but as a group of people who are supposed to work together, to help each other along life’s dark, winding and lonely road.
 
Unfortunately though my fellow believers, our world is littered with the poor, needy and oppressed, and it’s our bounden duty to help them however and whenever we can.
 
Remember it was the poor, the needy, the lost, the sick, the suffering and the oppressed that Jesus came to save, and it was those types that He hung out with, much more than the rich and famous. And if we’re to be His true and worthwhile followers, we need to do the same things He did.
 
So today, on Valentine’s Day, this Day of LOVE, I’m asking us all to remember those who are not as fortunate as us. Pray for them, as well as try to help at least ONE unfortunate person. Bless them with something, or in some way that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can interpret as genuine caring and LOVE.
 
Remember the rich and powerful don’t give two expletives deleted about the poor and downtrodden, so it’s up to us believers to help them out of their misery.
 
Please, let’s make a serious, sincere and generous effort to help someone today. That’s not only godly wisdom, as well as our bounden duty, but also a godly act, which we’ve all committed and promised to make our life’s work.
 
So please, let’s start keeping our promise nuh, for it’s not wise or healthy to make promises and then not keep them. Much LOVE!
 
…therefore all things…whatsoever ye would that men should do to you…do ye even so to them…for this is the law and the prophets… (Matt.7:12)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 February 2013 I Corinthians 13:1

14 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 13:1.     Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling (clanging) cymbal.
 

HAPPY  VALENTINE’S  DAY

Oh Friends, what a juxtaposition! Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten Season, where Christians are expected to pray, meditate and fast, in an attempt at introspection and getting closer to God. Today though, it’s Valentine’s Day; a day of celebration of LOVE, all be it with an emphasis on the romantic kind. But I guess as B.J. Thomas says in his old song; ‘A little bit of LOVE, is better than NO LOVE at all.’ And believe me Friends, there’s nothing that our confused, misled, troubled and misguided world is crying out more for than REAL LOVE! It’s somewhat sad though that this day of LOVE, although not a Christian holy day, has been so badly commercialized, just like some of the Christian holy days; for example, Christmas and Easter. But I suppose in this world where commerce and money trumps everything else, that’s to be expected. And in a sense, it does help the economy, so let’s not lose our joy over it. For you know my people, joy, that spiritual happiness we acquire when Jesus comes into out lives, is supposed to be a constant in a believer’s every waking and sleeping moment. So although this season of Lent invites us to be more serious about God, contemplating all that Jesus suffered and sacrificed for us, it in no way ought to detract from our joy of being a believer, a child of God, blessed with salvation and eternal life. When Jesus was in the wilderness fasting, His demeanour was obviously subdued, but I’m sure He did not lose His joy in His heavenly Father’s LOVE. Most likely it’s that joy which kept Him going. And neither should we lose our joy Friends. Lent and Valentine’s day are not mutually exclusive, especially if we’re pouring out the true LOVE of God from our hearts to our LOVED ones. For as our Bit so rightly proclaims: ‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling (clanging) cymbal.’ And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! If we don’t have true LOVE, regardless of all the other good things we might possess, we are just loud, useless mouthpieces. And here’s some info from the scholars on that verse. ‘Tongues of men and angels: Such was the association of tongues speaking in pagan worship at Corinth. When a priest or devotee spoke in tongues, it was considered that he spoke the language of the gods.’ Unfortunately today some of us still believe that. So please let’s not make the Lenten Season, a droll, sad, unhappy one. It should be serious but that doesn’t mean unhappy as so many of us tend to believe and behave. And please don’t fast just because the season calls for it, or because everybody’s doing it. The purpose of fasting is to help you empty your body and soul of worldly things, which helps make a better spiritual connection to God. But not all of us are good fasters. I for one am a poor faster. But then again we have to consider how long we’re going to fast for. There’s nothing that says it has to be all day or all night. So if you feel you should fast, just do whatever you’re comfortable with. Fast for as long as you can handle. The Lord will understand. And don’t get all religious and penitent and look miserable and let the whole world know that you’re fasting, like the ole hypocrites and them. But look bright and fresh and continue showing the joy of your spirit and excellence in your work, as Jesus did. And if you can’t fast, I guess you can give up something you cherish for Lent. But there again I find myself in a quandary, for the Lord has also cut me right back to the minimum of activities, so I don’t have anything to really give up. He’s gradually weaned me off horses, making music, and other kinds of writing, except the Bit. I guess then I’ll just have to pray and meditate more, and show more LOVE. (smile) Right now I’m supposed to be doing a 12-hour fast for some blood tests, which to me is a big problem, cause it makes my gas problem even worse than it is. And to add to my misery, the daylight lab hours don’t coincide with my night owl tendencies. Anyway, hopefully I’ll get around to it soon, and not do like I did before, postpone it for over six months. That’s one of the reasons why I never discovered my cancerous prostate sooner, for though I didn’t need to fast for that particular test, it was listed on the requisition to be done at the same time as those that needed fasting. But above all my people, please let’s remember that whatever we do, to do it unto God and not man, because He’s not so much interested in the outward manifestation of our conduct, but more in the secret motives hidden deep in our hearts. Anyway Friends, be it too commercialized or not, today is Valentine’s Day, so, even if we do nothing else, let’s go out and spread LOVE; the LOVE that God has for us, and the LOVE that we have for our friends, families and neighbours. There’s no doubting that LOVE makes the world go round. Wish we could have Valentine’s Day every day. (smile) And why not eh? As far as Jesus is concerned everyday is a LOVE day, therefore all our days should be ones of LOVE. Consequently, let’s work seriously towards that goal nuh people, since our world so badly needs a LOVE Revolution, and only we believers are in a position to get that revolt going. And the exercise for the day is to read the LOVE Chapter – The Way of LOVE – 1 Cor.13, from which our Bit is taken. Ponder all it says, then let’s try to bring our individual lives into concert with it over the Lenten season. What a fitting exercise my brethren, to purge ourselves of all our unloving ways and feelings. (smile) Much LOVE!…and now abideth faith, hope, LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is LOVE…  (1 Cor.13:13)

 

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