Today’s Scrip-Bit    10 September 2023 Hebrews 4:16.

10 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 4:16.       Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

And then it was Sunday once again; the day of the Lord, where believers flock to His sanctuary to participate in fellowship and worship with others of the same beliefs. And what a joyful time that usually is; with singing and praise, thanksgiving, and an overall renewal of the spirit and confidence of God’s people, so that they can go boldly into the world in the upcoming work week and make Jesus known to whomever they meet. And it just so happens that today’s opening song is one which also speaks of going boldly. 

It’s most appropriately titled ‘Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace.’ And that’s exactly how we should go to the Father; boldly, that’s confidently, not afraid or cowed, but also with humility and reverence. So, let’s offer up our voices of sacrificial praise in a soulful, heartfelt, mid-tempo version of the song, written by Daniel Herbert (1751 – 1833), a congregational minister who served at Sudbury in Suffolk. It is a passionate and comforting call to all who feel the weight of their sin to come and find mercy at the feet of Christ. 

Singing: ‘Come boldly to the throne of grace, Ye wretched sinners come, and lay your load at Jesus feet, And plead what He has done. How can I come? Some soul may say, I’m lame and cannot walk; My guilt and sin have stopped my mouth, I sigh, but dare not talk. Come boldly to the throne of grace, Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free. 

Come boldly to the throne of grace, For Jesus fills the throne; and those He kills, He makes alive; He hears the sigh or groan; Poor bankrupt souls, Who feel and know, the hell of sin within; Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in. Come Boldly to the throne of grace; The Lord will take you in…the Lord will take you in…Yes the Lord will take you in…take you in’ And if you come with a sincere heart, He certainly will take you in my brethren. 

Now what is all this talk about coming boldly to the throne of grace, and where does it come from eh? The author of Hebrews stirs it up when he talks about Jesus, our great High Priest. He writes: ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:14-16) 

And is that ever a most important scripture, my people! Why? Because first it highlights, the similarities between us and Jesus our great High Priest in heaven. Just like we are tempted, so was He down here on earth, but He was without sin. That therefore allows Him to sympathize, or better yet empathize with our weaknesses. You know that we can all sympathize better with others if we’ve been through, or experienced tough situations like theirs. 

A lot of times we claim to understand the heartaches and problems of others, but we truly don’t, because we have never experienced their kind of negative circumstance. But Jesus surely experienced our temptations, that’s why He’s qualified to handle our cries for help and succour. And the author of Hebrews tells us that earlier on: ‘For in that he (Jesus) himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (aid) them that are tempted.’ (Heb. 2:18) 

As the song so rightly proclaims: ‘Though lost, and blind, and lame; Jehovah is the sinner’s friend, And ever was the same. He makes the dead to hear His voice; He makes the blind to see, The sinner lost, He came to save, And set the prisoner free.’ And that is the gospel truth my brethren! Jesus Himself said so in John’s gospel. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) 

Yes friends, that was Jesus’ major purpose for coming to earth: to save poor, lost sinners like you and I. And if you don’t accept His free offer of saving grace then, unfortunately, you are not blessed with godly wisdom. For without Jesus in your heart, and you in His, your eternal destination will undeniably be hellfire and damnation, in cozy companionship with Satan and his evil cronies. Now, if that’s the kind of eternal ending you desire, then go right ahead and refuse Christ’s free offer of saving grace. 

It’s like Bruh David writes in Psalm 14: ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.’ (Ps. 14:1a) And believe me, there is an overwhelming abundance of fools on the earth right now! But as for me and my house, we will gladly accept God’s free saving grace, and serve the Lord, now and forever more! 

And if you still don’t believe that we can go to God’s throne with confidence, then listen to Bruh Paul, as he explains to the Ephesians about the Unsearchable Riches in Christ. He writes: ‘According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of (in) him.’ (Eph. 3:11-12) 

And the scholars offer this explanation of the last verse. ‘This verse affirms that Christians have boldness (freedom of speech before God) and access (the right of entering his presence) with confidence (assurance of being heard by God) by the faith of him (through relying upon Christ to gain God’s ear).’ 

Yes my fellow saints, ALL that we have from Jehovah God is based on what Christ has done, for without Him, we are NOTHING! Please, let’s never forget that, and thus live accordingly! Much LOVE!

…through Christ’s great sacrificial work on earth…the Father has opened up heaven to all who believe in His Son…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit    9 September 2023 Genesis 39:21a.

09 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 39:21a.         But the Lord was with Joseph,

Oh friends, unfortunately there’s no bright sun shining outside, just a mess of threatening dark clouds. But the day is still young, and who knows what can happen; the mighty sun can still win the battle against those dreary clouds and shine forth valiantly. That’s the attitude, we believers ought to have, one of constant hope and positivity. 

And I guess some of you are wondering what I’m doing up so early on a lazy-day Saturday morning? Well, the truth is, by my standards, I went to bed early, and thus after a certain amount of time in bed, the various parts of my anatomy took umbrage that we were still lying there, and they began to act up negatively. And if it wasn’t for my absolute refusal to get up at such an early hour, despite the pain, we would have been up even earlier. 

Brother! What a life when you can’t lie in your warm, comfortable bed for more than four hours at a time without having your aches and pains act up and drive you out of that wonderful cocoon. (smile) But as we say, them’s the breaks, we just have to grin and bear it! Anyway, enough of my griping, let’s say our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer with all sincerity and truth. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, that simple, heartfelt prayer touches my soul and calms me, makes me feel like I’m truly in God’s presence. Now, let’s get to that wonderful, God-engineered saga of Bruh Joseph. Yesterday we left him wrongfully cast into prison for sexual assault on his master Potiphar’s wife, but friends, when the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob writes your story, then you can be sure it’s unlike any other. So, let’s hear how the Bible reveals the story after Bruh Joseph was cast into prison. 

It says: ‘But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy (LOVING-kindness), and gave him favour (caused him to be viewed with favour) in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison, and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it (it was his doing). The keeper of the prison looked not to anything (did not look into anything) that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.’ (Gen. 39:21-23) 

Oh what a mighty and faithful God we serve my brethren! Yuh see, although Bruh Joseph was innocently undergoing some tough times, the Lord still made his life somewhat easier by causing him to experience the favour of those above him. And you’ll notice that in each instance, he was given power over others, so that he could learn the leadership skills he needed if he was to handle his God-given role properly. 

And who says our God isn’t a great dramatist eh? He’s the greatest of the great! In fact, He is the Creator of the genre! Just look at His book, the Bible, there’s no other tome in all of history that has so much drama, from Genesis right down to Revelation, thousands of years of history, it’s filled with pure drama, drama like no man can pen! And if yuh think you’d seen drama in Bruh Joseph’s story, believe me, the best is yet to come. 

The Lord writes it that Pharoah’s butler (cup-bearer) and baker offend him, and he places them in the same prison with Bruh Joseph. ‘And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward (were in custody for a while.’ (Gen. 40:4) Now the plot thickens. And the scholars explain that ‘when the captain charged Joseph with them, he gave Joseph control over administrative affairs in the prison, not merely over high-ranking prisoners (cf. 41:12).’ 

So, we know that Bruh Joseph was literally running the prison, while the captain of the guard merely enjoyed the title and perks that came with the position. But then, as the Lord would have it, both the butler and baker dream a dream the same night about Pharaoh. And when Bruh Joseph came in the next morning, they were totally sad and downcast. And he asked them ‘Wherefore look ye so sadly today? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.’ (Gen. 40:7-8) 

Now the scholars make a significant point here, when in response to the dreams of the perplexed baker and butler, they say that ‘Joseph’s immediate response was do not interpretations belong to God?’ And they point out that God was always the immediate response of his mind and give these references to prove it. (Gen. 39:9; 41:16, 51-52; 45:8) And if you look them up, you’ll see that yes, God was always uppermost in Bruh Joseph’s mind, just like it ought to be uppermost in ours. 

Now, let’s take a gander at the dreams of the butler and the baker. The butler dreamed that there was a vine before him: ‘And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes. And Pharoah’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: yet within three days shall Pharoah lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place (position): and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.’ (Gen. 40:10-13)  

Now that was certainly good news for the butler, and after interpreting the dream, Bruh Joseph made this request of him. ‘But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.’ (Gen. 40:14:15) 

And finally, we have the first recorded complaint of Bruh Joseph in all of his misfortunes. No doubt the unfair situation was eating away at his soul like a venomous cancer, but he never appears to complain about it before. How many of us would have borne such unfair misfortune so doggedly eh? Not many. We would have been up in arms crying out about the unfairness and injustice, the unfair restriction of our rights, and whatever other complaint that came to our minds. 

But my fellow saints, sometimes when we’re doing God’s will and the going gets tough, He expects us to hang in there with a good attitude, trusting in His faithfulness, in His promises that he will never leave nor forsake us, and always make a way for us where there seems to be no way. That’s what it means to walk faithfully with God! Much LOVE!

…our faith walk will always have bumps and potholes along the way…but we must be trusting enough…to know that God will see us through those rough periods… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ    

Today’s Scrip-Bit    8 September 2023 Genesis 39:9b.

08 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 39:9b.       how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God.

And without fail, the exclamation ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! has gone up around the world. But though the day is somewhat bright and shiny, there’s a threatening cloud cover hovering in the background. And the recent heatwave seems to be over, with a return to more normal temps for this time of year. 

However, in keeping with the cooler weather, some trees are already beginning to lose the green colour in their leaves, heralding the beautiful, colourful season of autumn, but also a precursor to the cold, dreaded time call winter. (smile) But that’s the way God planned it for these northern climes, and if you don’t like it, then you are free to move somewhere else, where there’s sunshine and hot temps all the year round. 

Yes mih bredrin, in this crazy world of ours, we’re always complaining about something, mostly about what we don’t have and believe we deserve to have. But life doesn’t revolve around complaining, but around praise to Almighty God! As the saying goes: ‘Complain and remain; praise and raise!’ And until we start doing much more of the latter, our circumstances will remain the same. 

But enough philosophizing, let’s get to the dramatic and most interesting and intriguing story of Bruh Joseph. Yesterday we left him in his master Potiphar’s house prospering under the favour of God. But just as bad things must end sometime, I guess all good things must also end sometime, especially when the evil one inserts a hand into the circumstances. And this he did in Bruh Joseph’s case. 

The Bible tells us: ‘And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her (longing) eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in this house (he knows not what is in this house except through me), and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God.’ (Gen. 39:7-9) 

Wow! What self-discipline and loyalty to refuse such a salacious invitation! And please notice what Bruh Joseph called the proposition, not only ‘great wickedness’ but more importantly, ‘a sin against God.’ That shows exactly where his mind and spirit were steadfastly focused. But yuh know when Satan gets the bit in his mouth, he relentlessly keeps pulling at it, and thus Potiphar’s wife kept bugging Bruh Joseph to sleep with her. 

But he kept refusing, until the Bible tells us: ‘And it came to pass, about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business (work); and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment (coat), saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment (coat) in her hand, and fled, and got him out.’ (Gen. 39:11-12) 

Ah friends, what lengths Satan often drives us to eh! The woman refused to give up her goal of having Bruh Joseph lie with her, possibly because her pride was hurt at his constant refusal, and she was even willing to assault him to have her way. As the scholars put it: ‘Her first approach involved flattery (vs. 7), then the drawn-out enticing (vs. 10), and finally the ambush (vs.12).’ And as they say, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And it’s often the gospel truth too, like it was in this case. 

We read in the Word: ‘And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment (coat) in her hand, and was fled forth (outside), That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock (laugh at) us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment (coat) with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment (coat) by her, until his Lord came home.’(Gen 39:11-16) 

Ah Lord eh, the evil games Satan has us play over foolish pride! And as the scholars note, that was the second time Bruh Joseph’s coat was used in deceit about him. Remember how his brothers used his coat of many colours dipped in goat’s blood and torn up, to prove to his father that he was dead. ((cf. 37:31-33). And obviously, when poor Potiphar came home dead tired from a hard day at work, his deceitful wife spun him the same tale. 

‘And it came to pass when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me, that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.’ (Gen. 39: 19-20) 

And who says being a true believer is easy eh! But what else could Potiphar do, except believe his wife. Doubting her would have created even more strife and deceit in the household. But it’s been said, that deep down Potiphar, knowing Bruh Joseph’s loyalty to him and to his God, did not believe Bruh Joseph would commit such a heinous crime. And that’s possibly why he did not have Bruh Joseph put to death asap, as he most certainly was able to do. 

But unfortunately, we see the same deceitful measures being applied on a very large scale today, and whether they are all true is another story. However, it’s having unfortunate consequences for the men, because once the allegations are made, without any questions asked, they are adjudged guilty by our judgemental society. And even if the allegations are later proven to be totally untrue, the men’s reputations and futures are nonetheless indelibly tarnished. 

But that’s another story for another place and time. Now let’s go the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, to seek mercy and grace in our desperate time of need. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now let’s remember that divine help calls for obedience and sincerely doing the Lord’s will. Much LOVE!

…living sincerely for Christ…is very seldom…a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ   

Today’s Scrip-Bit    7 September 2023 Genesis 39:2a.

07 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 39:2a.        And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous (successful) man;

And on this first September Thursday, we’re moving along with the nice summer weather! (smile) I don’t know if it will be as hot as the last few, but it certainly looks bright and beautiful out there! So, let’s give thanks to our heavenly Father for allowing us to see another day on His wonderful but somewhat confused planet, for it’s only through his mercies and compassions, which are new every day, we are not destroyed. Therefore, let’s say it as sincerely as the psalmist did: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) 

Yes friends, it doesn’t make sense to be alive and not enjoy the living, for we don’t know if we’ll wake up tomorrow, or even go to bed alive tonight. (smile) And you know, I believe it’s that attitude that kept Bruh Joseph flourishing in Egypt, despite all the misfortune that unfairly befell him. Now, yesterday we left off Bruh Joseph’s heartfelt and faithful story, when he was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers to a group of Ishmeelite traders, who were going down to Egypt to sell their wares. 

Meanwhile, those envious and despicable older brothers took Bruh Joseph’s coat of many colours, killed a goat’s kid, and dipped the coat in it. Then they rent it, tore it up, and took it to their father Jacob, and brass facedly said, ‘This have we found: know thou (do you know) whether it be thy son’s coat or no.’ (Gen. 37: 32) What gall and deceitfulness of the evil brothers! 

‘And he (Jacob) knew (recognized) it, and said, It is my son’s coat (tunic); an evil (wild) beast hath devoured him: Joseph is without doubt rent (torn) in pieces. And Jacob rent (tore) his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.’ (Gen. 37:33-35) 

Oh my people, when evil gets a hold of us, it does not stop at the first mistake nuh, but it just keeps leading us deeper and deeper into the cesspool of the devil’s delights. And it’s understandable, though repugnant, that the brothers had to lie to their father and keep up the evil façade. But that’s exactly what happens when we embrace the evil of this world. I don’t know if the brothers felt some sort of vengeance against their father for LOVING Bruh Joseph more than them, but in such large, dysfunctional families anything is possible. 

And what’s happening to Bruh Joseph all this time eh? The Bible tells us: ‘And Joseph was brought down into Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.’ (Gen. 39:1) And that’s when Bruh Joseph’s Egyptian sojourn unfurled. And how did it begin? 

Listen up to the Word, which says: ‘And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous (successful) man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper (be a success) in his hand. And Joseph found grace (favour) in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put in his hand (care). 

And it came to pass from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joesph’s hand (care); and he knew not ought (anything) that he had, save (except) the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person (handsome in form and appearance), and well favoured.’ (Gen. 39:2-6) 

Ah mih bredrin, when the Lord is on your side, He can make even the worst of pagans show you favour and mercy. But please note that the Lord didn’t just show Bruh Joseph favour, in a manner of speaking he earned it by his good attitude and behaviour. And it certainly wasn’t easy for a young, hitherto privileged Hebrew boy to be suddenly cast as a slave into an Egyptian household with an entirely different language, customs and culture. But Bruh Joseph knew that the Lord was with him, and believed the Lord to be faithful, so he kept a good attitude. 

And yuh see what happened? Potiphar his Egyptian master made him overseer over his whole house, which then prospered because the Lord was with Bruh Joseph. And that’s the moral of the story right there my fellow believers: although we find ourselves in very difficult situations and circumstances, that is no reason to give up on our great God, because sometimes, like in Bruh Joseph’s case, He’s merely testing us to see the quality and strength of our supposed faith. 

And even if it‘s not a test situation, our God still expects us to have sufficient faith in Him to know that He will never leave nor forsake us like He’s promised, and that in due time, His time, our situations will be improved. Now that’s what faith is all about; standing strong for Christ, even in the midst of the most dire situations, knowing that He’s a faithful rewarder of all those who come to Him in all sincerity and truth! And we’ll stop for today with Bruh Joseph’s story, for there’s lots more to come, and it gets even better as it progresses! 

Oh my fellow saints, what a mighty and magnanimous God we serve! And just like He gave Bruh Joseph the wherewithal to fight his battles, He’s also generously given us the same for ours. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So, let’s activate those blessings right now, by sincerely declaring (steups!!!) them. As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! 

I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those heavenly blessings, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord has shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…the Lord God Jehovah…will never turn away…from those who are faithful to Him… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ  

Today’s Scrip-Bit    6 September 2023 Genesis 37:5.

06 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 37:5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren, and they hated him yet more.

Glory be! Another beautiful bright and sunshiny summer’s day in the first week of September! But unfortunately, it too comes with a heat warning. So please be careful when going out in the sun, make sure you have on your sunscreen, your hat and umbrella, if necessary. Stay well hydrated and in a cool place. That’s the price we pay for another hot summer’s day at this time of year. (smile) 

And right now, I want to offer a li’l tidbit from a ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ Poster my young daughter gave me some years back. It simply, but quite rightly says: ‘Dreams come true for those who work while they dream.’ And there’s no denying that my friends! You can dream all you want, but if you don’t convert some of that dreaming energy into action towards the dream, it will never come to pass. That’s because dreams are only mental, while the actuality of them call for physical action and reaction. 

I don’t think we can find a better example of dreams working out in action than the story of Bruh Joseph way back in olden times. And his problems began early in life, around the age of seventeen, through no fault of his own. The scripture says: ‘Now Israel LOVED Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat (tunic) of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father LOVED him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably about him.’ (Gen. 37:3-4) 

Now that’s the unfortunate kind of thing that happens when parents favour one child above the others very overtly. The story continues thus: ‘And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren, and they hated him yet more.’ (Gen. 37:5) That’s another pitfall we often fall into; telling our dreams to people who don’t have our best interests at heart, and sometimes it’s best to just keep our dreams to ourselves and work quietly on them. Especially highfalutin dreams like Bruh Joseph had. 

‘And he said unto them (his brothers), Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance (bowed down) to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.’ (Gen. 37:6-8) Obviously Bruh Joseph didn’t realize how much his brothers hated him, or he was just so full of and cock-sure of himself that he didn’t care.  

And as the luck of the draw would have it; ‘He dreamed another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance (bowed down) to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee in the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.’ (Gen . 37:9-11) 

Now Bruh Joseph had the whole family against him. But please note that last verse. Israel ‘observed the matter,’ or kept it in his mind. He obviously didn’t relegate it right away to the rubbish heap. It reminds us of Mary, Jesus’ mother’s behaviour, when she heard all the fine things that were said about Jesus both at his at his eight-day presentation in the temple, and also when he was lost, and they found him arguing with the teachers in the temple at twelve years old and He told them: 

‘How is it ye sought me? wist (knew) ye not that I must be about my father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these saying in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with god and man.’ (Luke 2:40-52) 

It’s strange how our parents, though they may not fully believe our spiritual dreams and plans, many of them yet never put them aside completely, knowing, possibly from their own experience the way in which Almighty God operates. And both Jacob and Mary did have significant encounters with God in the spiritual realm, so neither totally wrote of the dreams of their children. The only difference between Bruh Joseph and Jesus, is that the latter did not grow did not grow in favour with both God and man. 

Bruh Joseph’s brothers had other ideas about his dreams. And one day when his father sent him to check on them in the fields, ‘they conspired to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer (master of dreams) cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil (wild) beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid (deliver) him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father.’ (Gen. 37:18-22)  

But we know that did not happen, for after the brothers stripped Joseph of his robe of many colours and threw him into a pit, they sat down to eat, and just then they saw a group of Ishmeelites (traders) going down to Egypt with their wares to sell. ‘And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him: for he is our brother, and our flesh. And his brethren were content (agreed).’ (Gen. 37:26-27) 

So they drew Bruh Joseph up out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. That certainly didn’t seem like Bruh Joseph was having favour with God and man. But unbeknownst to them all, that was only the beginning of the drama. And if God spares life, tomorrow, we’ll continue looking at Bruh Joseph’s story; a most significant one in the annals of the Jewish people, and consequently in our own Chrisitan faith. 

Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world 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 friends, we’ve been further promised that if we stick with Jesus right to the very end, then that promise will be even more glorious than we could ever ask or imagine. Wow! So please, let’s make a date to meet right at the very end with Jesus nuh! Much LOVE!

…the Lord puts dreams in our hearts…so that we can serve His glorious purposes… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ 

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 September 2023 Luke 13:34b.

05 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Luke 13:34b.       how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

And this first Tuesday in September 2023 has opened bright and beautiful, but it also contains a heat warning like Labour Day yesterday. Oh, it’s just another abnormality in our weather patterns. (smile) Usually after Labour Day the cold winds begin to blow; however, this week will probably be the hottest one we’ve felt all summer. But those are the consequences you face when you screw up God’s well timed and appointed planet. Remember, to every action there’s a reaction, and we’re now suffering the negative reactions to hundreds of years of polluting the planet. 

And if we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy fairly balanced and pleasant weather patterns in the future, then we’ve got to stop our silly pollution RIGHT NOW and try to bring some sense of wisdom to our hitherto foolish actions. For there’s no doubt that our serious pollution of the earth is causing severe, unfamiliar and rather disastrous weather situations, that’s causing us all sorts of problems with an intensity that we’ve never felt before. 

Look at the heat waves, the strong winds and the lack of rain that’s caused a spate of wildfires all over the world, wildfires that so far, we have been unable to tame. Then there’s drought in so many places where there was once lots of water, and also floods in places that never knew such disastrous conditions. The hurricanes and typhoons and tornadoes have become even more deadly and unpredictable and that’s only the tip of the iceberg; the natural part of the disastrous situations. 

What about the pandemic and all the sickness that the world is undergoing when our medical knowledge is the best it’s ever been? The economic struggles are also terrible, leading more folks than ever to poverty-stricken situations in an era of plenty. The greed, the hatred, the resentment that’s currently running amok in our world and causing immense strife in a time of supposed peace. 

But who knows how long that supposed peace is going to last, when all the major nations are currently flexing their muscles with a whole torrent of nuclear warfare talk accompanied by some initial, preparatory activity. And it’s all so foolish, because we all know that with first nuclear warhead fired at any nation, all the nuclear warmongers will join the fray, and the whole world will be immediately engrossed in a flaming nuclear holocaust, from which we’ll never recover! 

And you tell me that mankind is the smartest of God’s creation? Steups! I beg to differ yes! But all we poor bystanders, those without the power to make any meaningful worldwide decisions, can do is place our trust in Almighty God and embrace His promises that He will never leave nor forsake us, and that He has wonderful thoughts toward us, thoughts to give us a future and a hope. 

We can’t even say let’s appoint or elect new sensible leaders, because all those running for office are so power hungry and seeking their own aggrandizement that once they get in office, they completely forget who put them there and the reason they were placed there. Every leader now wants to be a dictator, and surprisingly so, many of them are becoming just that, because they have a fearful population, who are afraid to rock the boat. 

And if it’s not the leaders who are hogging the reins of power, then it’s the gangs, the cliques and cartels who are leading the show of torrid crime, corruption and violence. Even the church, Christ’s body here on earth that’s supposed to add some sense and wisdom to help our negative situations are not making a worthwhile difference, because it’s so divided that no coherent action is possible. And some of the churches are so tied into the power brokers that we couldn’t raise a contradictory finger or voice, even if we had the desire to do so. 

I know it’s a real negative picture of our world that I’m painting, but it’s the reality of what’s now on tap. And that’s been a problem of mankind for a long time, our inability to see life as it truly is, always hoping that someone else will fix it for us. But friends, the reality of it all is now coming home to roost, and if we don’t wake up and fix things for ourselves, turn to Christ in droves, turn from the abominable evil that’s currently driving our world, and allow the LOVE REVOLUTION to retake our world, then to put it simply and mildly; crapaud smoke we pipe! 

Oh friends, Christ is indeed our ONLY hope! Either He comes very soon and raptures His church, or we do some mighty evangelism, evangelism like the world’s never seen before, to turn things around. That brings us to this lament of Christ over Jerusalem. No doubt, He’s likewise lamenting over our sorry situation right now too. 

‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the prophets, and stonest them that sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.’ (Luke 13:34-35) 

Oh my people, that was Jesus’ heartfelt lament over the sins of Jerusalem, showing His affection for God’s chosen place and the people, but knowing that their sins would eventually drive them to desolation, and that they won’t be saved until He comes again. The same thing might be said of us my fellow saints. Our sins have driven us so far from God that we will have to pay a price of desolation, until Jesus comes again. 

But let’s not give up. Let’s keep ploughing forward to the best of our ability. Let’s live our best lives, and show the world our best face, ones filled with the LOVE of Christ, so that they may know that we are indeed the real deal. And in keeping with those sentiments, let’s go home now declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

It’s now our duty to get out into the evil world and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…only in Christ…is there real hope for a better tomorrow… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 September 2023 Ephesians 4:26.

04 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 4:26.       Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Oh yes mih people, Labour Day Monday has dawned bright and beautiful! There’s even a Heat Warning in effect because the temps will eventually reach into the thirties, so please be careful with your hydration and the effects of the blazing sun.  Anyway, I know that many of us only have one thing on our minds this holiday Monday: party and more party. 

But please don’t consider it just another day to party and frolic at the end of the summer, because it was not always a holiday, for down through the years, numerous people fought, suffered and even died to get some recognition for the efforts of the working class; the ones who bore the brunt of the work, but only received measly rewards for their sweat and labour. 

And though the working class has come a long way from the union-breaking days of the Pinkertons and other groups like them, they still do not receive a fair share of the rewards for their back-breaking efforts, and still line the pockets of the owners of industry. But it’s especially ridiculous and heartbreaking that during the pandemic when things were in short supply and the owners’ raised prices on a whim and fancy, and made monumental profits on the backs of the workers who toiled under very difficult and dangerous circumstances, that now they refuse to upgrade the workers rewards for their staunch support in a time of great need. 

And isn’t it a shame and a disgrace that because of the high increase in prices and inflation, those same workers can’t even afford to purchase the goods they are employed to sell. And the sad part is that these owners of industry are so blooming boldfaced that they blatantly boast about the great profits they made, and are busy distributing dividends etc. to their shareholders, but nothing to those who worked feverishly and under tough circumstances to put the profits in their pockets. 

Now that’s why there are revolts, revolutions and so much strife in our world today, for when people have been so oppressed, and their backs are against the proverbial wall, they then have only one option, to come out fighting. And, unfortunately, the rich are intent on getting richer, as they drain every last penny from the already impoverished state of the have-nots. But let’s remember that the Lord God Almighty is a champion of the poor and downtrodden and as it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine: I will repay saith the Lord.’ (Rom. 12:19b) 

Yes friends, though it might be tough to not seek our own vengeance as believers in Christ, we have to let Him do that job. And remember too that He has also promised that the wicked will eventually be destroyed. Bruh David said it quite plainly in Psalm 37, about the downfall of the wicked, where he solemnly writes. 

‘Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (for it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place (look diligently for him), and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.’ (Ps. 37:8-11), Now those are words we should take to heart, because we know that our God is faithful in all His promises. 

And in Bruh Paul’s famous words on the new man in his epistle to the Ephesians, he exhorts them thus: ‘Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph. 4:26-27) And that’s certainly wise advice; we ought not to go to bed angry because the anger will just curdle in our spirits overnight. Then, we must make sure when we’re angry, we don’t do foolish or evil stuff that will give the enemy a chance at a foothold in our souls. For remember he’s always out there lurking for any opportunity that presents itself. 

The scholars explain it thus: ‘Sinful anger is to be replaced by (briefly held) righteous indignation, that the Devil may not be given opportunity.’  And though it sounds good on paper, it’s not easy to do in real life. For with all the noise, the numerous distractions, reams of false information and enormous amount of evildoing currently existing in our world, it’s hard to stay calm and serene or be righteously indignant, (smile) when our circumstances are troubled. 

And these wise words of James should always be indelibly written in our hearts for those kinds of times. ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you, Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye double minded… Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:7-8,10) 

Now those are excellent words with which to segue into our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, as we go to the throne of grace seeking divine help here on earth. Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. 

Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now let’s remember that if we truly want divine help, then our earthly behaviour needs to be up to scratch. Much LOVE!

… our lives may be filled with trials and tribulations…but because Jesus has already overcome the world…we have His peace to handle them… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   3 September 2023   2 Corinthians 5:21.

03 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 5:21.       For he (God the Father) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

And this Labour Day Sunday is indeed a glorious day in my neighborhood, all sunshine and blue skies!  A day that makes you want to get up and head for the Lord’s sanctuary so that you can enjoy the wonderful camaraderie involved there, worshipping and singing the praises of our great God, and being refilled with Hs Holy Spirit! But even if your day is not as glorious as mine, it is still the best decision, the wisest decision you can ever make, to get up and join your fellow believers in the Lord’s house. 

And as always, we begin with a song of praise, but today we going way down South, to T&T, Trinidad and Tobago for some sweet West Indian Gospel music, the sweetest gospel music there is. (smile) Now, a friend wrote me this past week and sent me two songs by Denyse Plummer, the former soca artiste turned Christian performer, also telling me that we should celebrate Denyse. So mih people,  it’s a chutney soca Sunday, the reworking of her earlier hit ‘Na Leaving,’ about all the good things in T&T, into a Christian song titled ‘Ah Cyar Leave Him!’ 

So, let’s raise the roof with our sacrificial praise, as we tell the world, and heaven too, in no uncertain terms that we can’t leave Jesus. And as the sweet, easy rocking chutney soca music start, we hear a couple bars, then we shout out ‘Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah! From revelry to righteousness…Cyar leave Him. From hell-bound to holiness…Cyar leave Him. From sin to salvation…Cyar leave him. A kingdom destination…Cyar leave Him. There I was, in my glee, wallowing deep in a pig pen, full of life, but so empty, on my way to a fiery end. 

But someone told me about a Saviour, who said He LOVES me and He cares. In times of storm He is my shelter, so in His arms you’ll find me there. Yuh see ah cyar live life without Him, He is my King of Kings, He’s the reason I’m still living. Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. Never condemn or forsaken me dread…Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. For God man I living, For God I go dead. There are so few, who made it through, and come from the darkness of this world. But I saw the light, I found the truth. I have more than silver, more than gold. I gave my life over to Jesus, the greatest decision I’ve made. Boy I recommend you try Him, Jesus is the best upgrade. 

He came to earth and died on the cross, rose up just like a boss, when yuh see me smiling, He’s the cause. Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. Never condemn or forsaken me dread…Ah cyar leave Him…ah cyar leave Him. For God man I living, For God I go dead. I am under the rock. The rock is higher than I. Jahovah hides me. I am under the rock. Go tell my enemies, that I am under the rock. Jahovah hides me, I am under the rock. I am under the rock. The rock is higher than I. Jahovah hides me. I am under the rock. Go tell my enemies, that I am under the rock. Jahovah hides me, I am under the rock. 

From revelry to righteousness…Cyar leave Him. From hell-bound to holiness…Cyar leave Him. From sin to salvation…Cyar leave him. A kingdom destination…Cyar leave Him. Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah! (And we shout again) Jesus…Yahweh…Yeshua… Jahovah!’  

Oh friends, wasn’t that beautiful? It certainly was. The whole house, including heaven was rocking! The Father was definitely feeling it, because He was up and jiving. He couldn’t be happier hearing such praises shouted out from earth for His Son. Even Jesus couldn’t resist the tantalizing riddims, and you could see Him tapping His feet and drumming His hands on the hand rests of the throne. And yuh better believe that is the kind of difference, the amazing transformation Jesus performs in our lives when we surrender our all to Him! 

And furthermore, once we get with Him, it’s impossible to leave Him! No, we just cyar leave him at all at all. Mama Mia! Such is the LOVE and inspiration He inspires in us! Yes friends, Jesus carries us from a sinful life to one of salvation, for He came to earth and died on the cross of Calvary so that our sins could be paid for with the shedding of His precious, sinless blood, and thus be saved from hellfire and damnation. As He said: ‘For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) 

And by dying on the cross, He not only saved us from eternal damnation, but also made us new people and reconciled us to the Father. Hear Bruh Paul tell it nuh. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit (that is), that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.’ (2 Cor. 17-19) 

Yes, Christ promoted a reconciliation between sinful mankind and a holy and righteous God. Christ also made us righteous and justified. And what is righteousness. This commentary puts it nicely. ‘In its deeper spiritual meaning, righteousness is the quality of being right in the eyes of God, including character (nature), conscience (attitude), conduct (action), and command (word). Righteousness is, therefore, based upon God’s standard because He is the ultimate Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).’ And Bruh Paul writes to the church at Corinth: ‘For he (God the Father) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21) 

Oh mih people, Christ not only paid for our sins through the shedding of His blood, but He also took the whole weight of our sins on His sinless shoulders so we could become righteous in the Father’s sight. And Christ also justified us. And what’s justification? Hear this commentary. ‘Justification is that gracious and judicial act of God whereby a soul is granted complete absolution from all guilt and a full release from the penalty of sin (Romans 3:23-25). This act of divine grace is wrought by faith in the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).’ 

And what do those scriptures say? ‘For all have sinned, and come (fallen) short of the glory of God. being justified freely (without any cost) by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (a mercy seat) through faith in his blood, to declare (yesss!!!) (demonstrate) his righteousness for the remission (passing over) of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.’ (Rom. 3:23-25) 

And Romans 5:1, says: ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ In other words, ‘Christ made justification possible for us by what He did in His death and resurrection. His resurrection was the ultimate sign that the penalty for sin, which was death, had been paid once and for all.’ 

And that’s not all Christ did for us. Listen to Bruh Paul again: ‘But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us (became for us) wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.’ (1 Cor. 1:30) And we don’t have time nor space to get into those last two, but sanctification is basically being set aside for God’s purposes, while redemption is being saved from sin, which Jesus did in spades…if we’ll only believe in Him. 

Now tell me nuh my fellow saints, how can one ever leave a man, or a God like that eh? No way Jose! And for all you computer geeks out there, please remember that Jesus IS the best upgrade! (smile) So please, let’s upgrade to Him today nuh! Much LOVE!

…if you truly believe in Jesus…then despite all your trials and tribulation…you’ll NEVER EVER leave Him…because He’s the BEST THING that there is…. 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ            

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 September 2023 Nehemiah 2:8b.

02 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Nehemiah 2:8b.       And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.

And another beautiful lazy-day summer Saturday is on tap! Yes friends, this Labour Day weekend, the last of the summer break, promises to be a fine one, so let’s enjoy it to the max, but without confusion and conflict. Let’s be compassionate and kind to all we come into contact with, for that’s the way of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that’s how He lived his life here on earth. And since we are His agents and ambassadors down here, we ought to follow the LOVING example that He set us. 

So, to help us do just that, let’s say our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, saying that simple, heartfelt prayer, opens me up, does exactly what it says, slows my thoughts and quiets my soul, so that I am more receptive to God’s overwhelming and awesome presence. So, let’s sit quietly for a moment nuh, and enjoy the peace that comes with that prayer. As the psalmist would say: ‘Selah.’ – pause and ponder it. (smile) 

And now that we have paused and pondered our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, and hopefully put some peace and calm in our souls, let’s see what the Lord has for us to talk about today. And the Good Library opened upon the prayer of Nehemiah, the Babylonian king’s cupbearer, after he received the news in Babylon that Jerusalem was in bad shape. He was told: ‘The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction (distress) and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.’ (Neh. 1:3) 

And in those olden times, when the walls and gates of your city were broken and burnt, that meant you were easy prey for all and sundry. Now it’s important to note Nehemiah’s reaction to that information. The Bible tells us: ‘And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.’ (Neh. 1:4) 

One wonders why he had such a heartfelt reaction to the situation of his homeland Jerusalem when previously he was not amongst the important personages there. In fact, not much is known about Nehemiah’s early life, but the Lord obviously put it in his heart to remedy the situation, and apparently he fasted and prayed about it for a few months, offering up his famous prayer of repentance, which can be found in Neh. 1:5-11. 

This last verse is possibly the most important part of that prayer. ‘O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.’ (Neh. 1:11) And yuh know what my people? Nehemiah could later report to those at Jerusalem: ‘And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.’ (Neh. 2:8b) 

Yes, after seeing Nehemiah’s sad countenance, when he came to deliver his wine, the Persian King, Artaxerxes enquired as to his low spirits. ‘Why is thy countenance (face, expression) sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of the heart.’ (Neh. 2:2) The king was very perceptive. And though Nehamiah was afraid of the king’s reaction, he nonetheless laid out the situation for him, and asked to be allowed to return to his homeland and rebuild the walls and the gates. 

Now, one must realize that in those days the king had absolute authority; he could do exactly as he pleased, and asking such a request, if it displeased the king, Nehemiah’s head could easily have rolled without any recourse to justice, for the king was the sole arbiter of justice. But when our God is in control, even the most unlikely things happen my fellow saints. And to the surprise of all, the king granted Nehemiah’s request; gave him the necessary papers to get all he needed and those to provide him free passage and the authority to be governor of Jerusalem while the rebuilding took place. 

I don’t know if Nehemiah himself could believe the blessings that were poured out on him, by the king, through the great mercies of God. But he went to Jerusalem, brought order to the chaos that existed there, and completed the task of rebuilding the walls and gates in a record 52 days. ‘So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul (Aug. to Sept) in fifty and two days.’ (Neh. 6:15) 

And all that despite serious opposition from three main characters. Sanballat the Horonite ( a Samaritan), Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem, the Arab. Nehamiah writes: ‘When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant , the Ammonite, heard of it (his coming to Jerusalem to straighten things out), it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.’ (Neh. 2:10) 

Then later on, when Nehamiah finally got the people to understand what he was all about. He writes: ‘Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.  

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion (heritage), nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.’ (Neh. 2:18-20) 

Oh my people, yuh see what strong faith in our great God can do? Nehemiah wasn’t afraid of his detractors, for he had the king’s authority, the people’s backing and the Lord’s favour all on his side. And I like how he reproached the three stooges who kept bothering him: ‘The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build.’ 

Yes my brethren, those same words are still applicable to us today! Our great God is still on our side, and with His awesome help we too can arise and build a great and godly society, but we need to be inspired and be as faithful as the Israelites were back there in the disastrous situation in Jerusalem. 

And believe me, we do have a very disastrous situation in our current world, that needs fixing very quickly, and only with God’s help and our unwavering faith will it ever get done! So please, let’s get to it nuh. The Lord is waiting for us to strengthen both our hands and our faith so that we can do His marvellous and oh so necessary work! Much LOVE!

… it doesn’t matter who you are…when God gives you a job to do…He also gives you the wherewithal…the strength and the tools to do it…                             

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ           

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 September 2023 Psalm 23:1.

01 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 23:1.       The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

 And as we open our day and say ‘TGIF Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend is here at last!’ we are beholding a bright, new, sunshiny day, as well as a new month, that of September, which unfortunately spells the end of the summer vacation season, and a return to work and school. But them’s the breaks, as Job so rightly said, we can’t expect to have all good and no bad, at least what we consider bad. (Job 2:10) 

Now, if the weather forecasters are to be believed, September is supposed to come in like a lion with a week of hot temps, and not like the lamb it usually is, bringing cold temps after Labour Day. And this is the Labour Day long weekend, so you know the partying will be plentiful, but I’m pleading with us, to not overdo the celebrations, and as Granny would say: ‘Sonny boy, please, ah beg yuh, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business!’ Yes friends, this weekend, please, let’s all mind our business, and let’s be sober, rather than the former state nuh. (smile) 

Now here’s an interesting and encouraging tidbit from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s titled ‘Once in a While We Can.’ So please read with me: ‘One bright Sunday when I was twelve, I didn’t want to go to church. I wasn’t coddling a pent-up rebellion. I simply pictured a leisurely day away from “have to” things. How to explain and be understood! Finally I just blurted it out as Mother prepared breakfast. 

She listened attentively. “Honey,” she said calmly, “we can’t always do what we feel like doing without hurting someone.” That settled it, I thought. I was sorry I had asked. Suddenly I heard. “But once in a while we can do what we want to – just because we want to. You may stay home this Sunday.” The memory of that day is still vivid. Not because I stayed home from church, but because I learned a profound lesson. Once in a while we can! 

Once in a while we can get away from alarm clocks, peanut-butter jars, milk cartons… away from the shattering pressures of our competitive society. Once in a while we need to get away from work, family, friends, and pressing commitments. Often we lose the capacity for personal enjoyment. Once in a while we need to walk, think, and meditate. Only God can satisfy our deepest longings. He longs for us to share our private secrets with Him. Once in a while we can.’ 

And is all of that ever so true my fellow believers! Our world is so competitive, so busy and running 24/7 that we can’t always be running on the treadmill of life and be successful. No! Sometimes we just have to get off of the constantly rolling treadmill, take a break from the constantly spinning merry-go-round and refresh ourselves. Take some time for us to think and walk peacefully, not at the pace our world wants to go. And in those quiet and thoughtful moments, our thoughts ought to be centered on our Creator, Almighty God, the ONLY ONE who can truly satisfy the longings of our troubled and tired souls. 

Ah friends, our world is so busy, with most of us busy but going nowhere fast, or nowhere at all. Busyness these days is looked upon as a badge of honour. And it’s the number one excuse for not keeping our promises. ‘Oh, I was so busy!’ Busy doing what? Stuff the world considers important, but God considers unimportant! The world has us running so fast that oftentimes we don’t know whether we’re coming or going. It’s time to stop and consider our priorities my people. That is if we want to make it to the end, all in one piece. 

And the only way to do that is by having the Lord God Jehovah as our Number One Priority, while following His will and plan for our lives. Remember what He says in Jeremiah? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you and expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) Now does the devil have your best interest at heart? No way! He just wants you to do his evil will and couldn’t care less what happens to you, once you do it. 

But our great God is different. He always has our best interest at heart, because He truly cares about us. We’re His creation and He wants us to spend eternity with Him, not with the evil Satan. That’s why He went so far as to send His sinless Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross at Calvary so our sins could be bought and paid for with his precious blood. Now doesn’t that spell compassion and care? It certainly does. 

And before I forget, (smile) let’s see what’s the Bible Promise for today’s writing. And boy oh boy, it’s these marvelous words of Bruh David, but in the NLV translation. ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green pastures; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honour to his name.’ 

I’m sorry though friends, that translation doesn’t cut it for me. So, let’s declare (yesss!!!) the real McCoy nuh. ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.’ (Ps. 23:1-3) Now that sounds more like it! And yes, I am biased towards the King James Version! (smile) 

Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking help for our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And having committed all of that to prayer, it will be in our best interest to keep our promises and improve our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…the Chrisitan life should not be a constant merry-go-round…every so often…we need to come off and take a break… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ          

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