Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 October 2023 Ephesians 1:22.

21 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 1:22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Well a good lazy-day Saturday morning to you my Scrip-Bit friends and family. And I do hope that you will enjoy a restful, lazy-day Saturday surrounded by the goodness and wellbeing of our wonderful God! Let’s remember that without Him we are nothing, for He is the vine and we are the branches, and if the branch doesn’t stay attached to the vine it’s of no use, because all the necessities for bearing fruit begin and end in the vine, the branch can do nothing of itself. (John 15:1-10) And so, to help us stay rooted and grounded in the vine, let’s declare (yesss!!!) our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer with a sincere and grateful heart. 

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 hopefully, as we offer up that simple but heartfelt prayer to heaven, all of our souls will be quietened, our muscles relaxed, our breaths deepened, and we’ll feel the overwhelming presence of the Lord enveloping us with His LOVE, mercy and grace! Wow! What a wonderful God we serve my fellow believers! And all God’s people said a rousing ‘That’s for Sure! There’s no God like our Jehovah! No! There’s no god like our Jehovah!’ and that’s the gospel truth! There’s no Infinite Being like, or except Yahweh! He’s the ONLY living God. all the other supposed God are dead, inanimate creations of man, and thus cannot do anything to help mankind. Matter fixed! 

And it’s indeed refreshing to have a rousing Lazy-Day Saturday Bit! (smile) Now let’s get to the heart of the matter; that’s the prayer of Bruh Paul on behalf of the Ephesians that we were studying yesterday. It’s where he prayed that the Lord would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation, with enlightened minds so that they would truly know Him, the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory they have inherited, and His mighty power that gives them the strength for godly daily living. (Eph. 1:17-19) 

Now, since Bruh Paul was somewhat longwinded and worked towards perfection (smile) he didn’t just stop there, he went on to explain ‘the mighty power of God. ‘Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set (seated) him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world (age), but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth it all.’ (Eph. 1:20-23) 

What powerful scriptures my fellow saints! Yes! But what does it all mean? (smile) Let’s hear what the scholars have to offer. They say: ‘Principality, and power, and might, and dominion refer to various classes of angelic beings. See note on Colossians 1:16.’ And for our further understanding, Col. 1:16 says: ‘For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in (on) earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities (rulers),or powers (authorities): all things were created by him and for him.’ 

And the scholars point out that ‘this verse provides the reason Christ is called the ‘firstborn’ in verse 15. Paul’s rationale is this: Since by him were all things created, then (1) Christ must have existed before the universe, and (2) He must be greater than all He made. Meanwhile “thrones” refer to angels who sit on thrones as rulers; “dominions” refer to domains or kingdoms over which these heavenly beings reign; “principalities” refer to rulers, and “powers” refer to angelic monarchs who wield regal power. Since Christ created these various ranks of angels, He is supreme over them. Striking a blow at the Colossian heresy advocating angel worship (2:18), this text forbids Christians to pay homage to angels or other heavenly beings created by God.’ 

Heavy stuff that friends. But it’s oh so important because sadly, today many people still pray to angels and all sorts of other terrestrial and extra-terrestial beings, who have no power or authority whatsoever. So we hope you understand that although there are all kinds of angelic beings, NONE are worthy of worship; ONLY the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit carry such eminence. 

And as we get back to the scripture in Ephesians, the scholars continue by telling us that per verse 21, ‘God’s power has exalted Jesus far above all these spiritual creatures. And per verse 22, which says: ‘And gave him to be the head over all things in the church means God appointed Him head (ruler) over all things for the benefit of the church. Jesus is the divinely appointed ruler over the entire universe for the church’s benefit.’ 

Then, as per verse 23, the  scholars say, ‘that paraphrased it reads, “For the church is His body. It is the fullness belonging to Him who fills the universe with all things.” That is, Jesus, who so wisely and skillfully fills the universe with all material elements necessary for its existence, also wisely and skillfully infuses His people (the church) with His own life and character. 

This verse, then, explains why in verse 22 God made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church: the church is in such an intimate relationship with Him, and is of such character, that she is considered His own body. So it is for her good that Christ is the divinely appointed ruler of the universe. Since He filleth the church with His own life and character, she is a receptacle containing the graces and virtues of God Himself.’ 

Oh brother! Today’s certainly not one for milk, but for plenty meat and spuds! And yes, some of these scriptures can be difficult to understand, but only, if and when we keep reading, studying and meditating on them will we ever understand them and thus grow in spiritual maturity, exercise God’s divine plan that we all grow into Christ-likeness. Remember what the Lord told Joshua when he made him the Israelite Leader after the death of Moses? 

‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be continually in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous , and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) And if the Lord said it my brethren, then it must be true. So please, let’s get wise, wake up and see that unless we sincerely read and study God’s Word, then put it into action in our lives, we will NEVER be as successful and prosperous as He desires us to be! Much LOVE!

…if Jesus Christ is the church…then the church should reflect the nature and character of Christ…   

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 October 2023 Ephesians 1:17.

20 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 1:17. the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

And this morning, as we declare (steups!!!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ a gentle rain is falling upon the land, providing some most needful nourishment, for lately, rain is not something we’ve been seeing much in our area. So we are indeed grateful for this heavenly blessing. And on this rainy Friday morning,  I want to share an interesting prayer of Bruh Paul’s in his letter to the Ephesians. We all know that he had some interesting prayers, not so much for blessings in health, material and worldly things but more for spiritual maturity, and this one is a gem. 

So let’s read, as he writes: ‘Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and LOVE unto all saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.’ (Eph. 1:15-17) What a powerful prayer that is my brethren, for it involves our spiritual understanding of Christ and the Father, that we might get to know and understand them better. The scholars term it ‘a disposition consisting of wisdom and revelation in knowing Him.’ 

Yes friends, it’s all about spiritual maturity, which is the Father’s eventual wish for us, for all to eventually be as close as possible to the character of Christ. That’s why we’re going through all the unfair, unjust and distasteful stuff we’re going through; to grow us into the likeness of Christ. And it’s not easy, but as we keep on saying, whatever God desires of us, He gives us the wherewithal to accomplish it. And if He wants us to be like Christ, then He’s given us the tools to do so, we just have to wake up and use them, and above all be committed to accomplishing God’s will for our lives!  That’s where the wisdom and revelation of knowing Him comes in. 

And furthermore, Bruh Paul sweetens the pot by continuing: ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.’ (Eph. 1:18-19) And yes, Bruh Paul can be extremely complicated, as though he’s speaking to scholars, and not ordinary, mostly unlearned people. But that’s the way it is with some very educated persons, they just can’t explain things simply. (smile) 

However, the scholars explain those verses thus. ‘When the figurative terms are removed from the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, the clause means that “your mind’s understanding may be fully enlightened.” This clause further explains verse 17. That ye may know signifies that the believer comes to know three things upon being enlightened: (1) what is the hope of his calling; that is, he realizes how sure and certain is his heavenly destiny; (2) what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; that is, the illuminated Christian recognizes more and more both the priceless value of his salvation, and what a priceless treasure he is to God; and (3) what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe: perceiving how God’s power has changed him since conversion, he experiences to a greater extent this divine strength in daily living.’ 

Oh my people, what a glorious prayer for both the Ephesians and all believers! That the Lord will help us understand what’s going on in our lives, especially the spiritual aspect, so that we can wake up and more fully understand and believe, then totally surrender our souls and so truly enjoy the life that Christ died for us to have! Now, that’s what the majority of us need to learn and know and put into practice, if we are to ever turn this evil and ungodly world around. Because knowledge and understanding don’t cut it by themselves, action is needed to complete the scenario. 

As James says, ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.’ (James 2:17) And that’s what’s wrong with our world today. We Christians claim to have a whole lot of faith, but our works, our godly actions are very negligible in the great scheme of things, consequently our world has fallen deep into the mire of Satan’s evil and ungodly power. Thus, it’s become of the utmost importance for believers to stop talking as much as we do, and instead, step up our godly actions. 

But getting back to Bruh Paul’s prayer, he’s not done yet nuh. (smile) No, he goes on to explain about the ‘mighty power’ of God. But I believe we’ll leave the rest of it until tomorrow, obviously if God spares life, because it will make the Bit too long, and you know we strive to keep it as short as possible…not that we’re always successful (smile) So let’s consider what we’ve learned today, and try to put it into practice, pray for those we LOVE to be filled with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in Christ Jesus, that we can all truly know Him and all the benefits and riches His saving grace bestows on us. 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace in confidence, but sincere humility, and through our Friday Chant, ask for divine help to handle our many earthly problems. As one prayerful 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 since the eyes of our understanding have been enlightened, (smile) we now know that the only way to get divine help is by turning from our evil ways and by being obedient to the Word and Will of Almighty God! So let’s do it nuh! Much LOVE!

…to truly understand living for Christ…one must spend serious and sincere time with Him…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 October 2023 Isaiah 30:18b.

19 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 30:18b. for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.

And then it was Thursday; the penultimate day of our workweek. And some of us are just dying to see Friday afternoon because the week has been so hectic and confusing, and our old bones are crying out for rest! But not to worry my fellow believers, for if you sincerely have Jesus in your heart, then He will calm your storm and get you to a safe port all in one piece. That’s what He promised, and He keeps His promises, unlike the selfish, greedy, evil and ungodly world of men, in which we live. So please stop fretting and being anxious and let Jesus hold your hand and guide you to a place of rest and quiet. 

And in a world so filled with untold disaster and widespread tribulation, it will do us good today to remember these encouraging words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) And that my friends is the best advice we can follow today! Just give it all to Jesus, for what we can’t handle, He’s most capable of handling. 

Now, let’s see what the Lord had to say to His rebellious people Judah from yesterday, after promising that they would pay for their rebellious ways, and flee, till only a handful were left, ‘as a beacon (pole) upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign (flag, banner) on an hill.’ (Is. 30:17) The prophet Isaiah then talks of graciousness and mercy as he writes on the Lord’s behalf. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is. 30:18) 

And is that ever the glorious truth my fellow believers! Those who wait patiently and expectantly on Jehovah God will indeed be blessed when He is ready! And nowhere is it better said than in Psalm 27, in the words of Bruh David. ‘Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14) 

Then Isaiah continues with the good news. ‘For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.’ (Is. 30:19-20) That’s in direct contrast to yesterday where in their rebellion they didn’t want to hear the truth and caused the teachers and prophets to tell them lies to satisfy their lustful desires. 

‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’ (Is. 30:21) Isn’t it the same way it is with us today? Whenever we turn from the straight and narrow path, to the right or to the left, we hear the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit encouraging us to turn back to the right way. The problem though, is do we listen to that still, calm voice? Let’s hope we do. 

Then, having found the right way, Isaiah declares (yesss!!!): ‘Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous (unclean) cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Then shall he give the rain of (for) thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat (rich) and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. The oxen likewise and the young asses (donkeys) that ear (work) the ground shall eat clean provender (cured fodder, good grain), which had been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan. 

And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach (bruise) of his people, and health the stroke of their wound.’ (Is. 30:22-26) 

Yes, my fellow saints, that is what’s going to come that final day of judgement. God’s goodness and mercy is going to be there for those who walk the right path and wait on Him. The wicked and rebellious will be destroyed, but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth! And the scholars add these explanations. ‘Because God is gracious and has been willing to wait for His people to return to Him. He will certainly bless those who wait for him. “Waiting” is a confident and dependent trust in God. The reference to the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction shows that God teaches us lessons through circumstances when we will not listen to our teachers who call us to walk in the way (i.e., the way of God).’ 

Oh friends, the moral of the story is that there’s always a price to pay for disobedience…and a reward for obedience… So let’s be wise and follow the path of obedience nuh, especially since God has gifted us with some undeserved blessings we call our Thursday Blessings, so that we can use them to do His work. Let’s now activate them by declaring (awright!!!) them out loud. 

Altogether: ‘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!’ 

Now, having activated those blessings, it’s our bounden duty to go out and use them on behalf of others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us! Much LOVE!

…as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) would say…the best way to live this life…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 October 2023 Isaiah 30:9.

18 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 30:9.       That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:

Ah mih people, can you believe it’s already the 18th of October. The month which just began is already more than halfway through! And although I know that the days are going at the same pace they always have, these days just seem to be moving increasingly fast. (smile) Before you turn around the days, weeks, months and year is done. I guess it seems that way because right now our lives and our world are so topsy-turvy, filled with all kinds of tremulous, disastrous, unwanted and unforeseen stuff, and thus we can’t just loll around and enjoy life the way we desire, we have to be up and busy, ofttimes just trying to stay alive. 

But there’s a very valid reason for the turmoil in our lives and our world, and a very obvious way to turn it all around. And the simple reason for our many problems is that we have turned away from the Lord God Jehovah, our Creator and Provider, and have become so enamoured of our own strength and advances that we’ve left the Lord behind, taken Him out of our schools and public places, even trying to remove Him completely from our society. But friends, that’s just a pipe dream! It will NEVER happen, because the Lord will not allow it to, although our world is now behaving like the Lord said about the people of Judah through the prophet Isaiah a long time ago. 

‘Now go, write it before them in a table (on a tablet), and note it in a book (on a scroll), that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever. That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.’ (Is. 30:8-11) 

Wow mih bredrin! Isn’t that just like what’s happening today? Of course! And that’s exactly why the Lord told the prophet to write it, so that future generations like ours, could see that rebelliousness does not pay. But who’s taking note eh? Not with all the false stuff, the deceits, treacheries and deceptions that are being promulgated today, along with all the evil and wrong stuff that’s passing for truth, and so many of the population turning away from God, not wanting to hear His Word because it doesn’t coincide with their selfish and evil lusts and desires. 

It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy about the perilous times that were to come: ‘For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…etc. etc.’ (2 Tim. 3:2)  And he goes on to list in the rest of that chapter, a whole lot of evil and ungodly things that are indeed prevalent in our world today. But yuh know what my fellow believers, this is all just a replay of the scenario that took place in heaven many moons ago, where Satan, as the archangel Lucifer, mounted a prideful, foolish plan to overthrow God and take over the kingdom of heaven. 

It failed miserably and Lucifer was summarily kicked out of heaven with his handful of foolish followers to walk the earth in pain and disgrace for the rest of their evil days. And now, because he’s amassed a li’l power in the earth, instead of learning from his previous mistake, once again, he’s trying to get God’s children to side with him against the Father. But that deceitful and evil ploy will eventually fail too, because the wise will recognize Satan’s deceit for what it is, revenge against God, that will only cause them to suffer eternal damnation, and will have no part of it, for they know that the Lord is the ultimate in strength, power and majesty. 

And all God’s people said, a loud and proud: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps. 27:1) And the answer to those two questions is simply: ‘NOBODY!’ So hie thee away Satan! And despite our rebellious, evil and ungodly character right now, things will get better. Why? Because the Lord God Jehovah has promised it, and whatever He promises will eventually happen! First though, life will not be so rosy, for there’s this promise.  

‘Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay (rely) thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling (bulging) out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potter’s vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it (among the fragments) a sherd (shard, broken piece) to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit (cistern). 

For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. One thousand shall flee at the rebuke (threat) of one; at the rebuke (threat) of five shall ye flee till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of the mountain, and as an ensign (flag, banner) on an hill.’ (Is. 30:12-17) 

And what’s that all about eh friends? The people of Judah’s rebellion was so deep, that while sending out queries to make peace with Egypt and the surrounding nations, they refused to make peace with God. And you know that anytime we look to others for help before looking to God, He becomes angry, thus the breaking up of the nation, in their iniquity and rebelliousness. They were so rebellious that they refused returning and rest, which meant repentance and faith, which are necessary to true salvation. Thus the Lord left them to their own foolish demise. 

And friends, that’s exactly what’s happening in our world today. We have chosen to turn away in great drove from God and ally ourselves with Beelzebub. Consequently, the Lord has left us to our own way. You know He never intrudes where He’s not wanted, and we’ve made it ever so clear that we don’t desire His presence in our lives or our world. And I hope we’re seeing what happens when we’re left up to our own devices; war, hate, anger, resentment and all the negative actions and desires that fall under Satan’s portfolio. For all our sakes, let’s hope we wake up and smell the roses before it’s too late. 

Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to hold on to God and His Word, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all the 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 believe me friends, if we endure right down to the very end with Jesus, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So, let’s make a date to meet at that time nuh! Much LOVE!

…the three most important words in the scriptures…obedience…obedience…obedience… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 October 2023 Genesis 50:20.

17 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 50:20.       But as for you, ye thought (intended) evil against me; but God meant it unto good,

And now that we have safely and productively gotten through the cloying and clinging claws of Monday, today Tuesday and the rest of the week should be a cakewalk. (smile)  And all of God’s people said a loud and positive: ‘For sure! Thanks be to God who makes our paths straight!’ And does He ever, when we are obedient to His Word and His Will! 

Consequently, as I believe I said yesterday, that’s why our world is in such a disastrous state; we’ve forgotten to keep God first place in our lives; to seek Him and His kingdom before anything else. And the only way to reverse our situation is by getting back to sincerely worshipping and glorifying our great God. 

Oh friends, we human beings are supposed to be the wisest and smartest of all God’s creations, but in actual fact, we’ve turned out to be the dumbest and most unwise having turned away from Almighty God our Creator, Controller, King and Provider. Only a foolish person or people would do such an unwise thing. But as Jesus so rightly said, let him who has ears to hear, let him hear. End of Sermon! (smile) 

Now, let’s see what’s happening with Bruh Joseph’s story. We left off yesterday where the great gathering of Hebrews and Egyptians went up to Canaan to bury Jacob, then came back to Egypt. The Bible then tells us: ‘And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure (perhaps) hate us, and will certainly requite us (fully repay us) all the evil which we did unto him.’ (Gen. 50:15) 

Yes, the brothers’ guilt is rearing its frightful head now that their father Jacob is no longer there to protect them from the wrath of Bruh Joseph. So, in good ole cowardly fashion, they decide to take in front before in front took them. (smile) ‘And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.’ (Gen. 50:16-17) 

And most likely Jacob had never said anything of the sort, it was just them making up something to save their skins. But the Bible continues: ‘And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought (intended) evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish (provide for) you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them (Lit. to their hearts).’ (Gen. 50:18-21) 

Oh my brethren, that was the crowning glory of Bruh Joseph! Those words: ‘ye thought (intended) evil against me; but God meant it for good,’ have resonated down through History as some of the most profound and encouraging words ever spoken. And it also shows the great affinity that Bruh Joseph had with God, to eventually understand that God allowed His brothers to mistreat Him, all for a greater good, and to forgive them, as Christ later said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34) 

And the scholars offer these thoughts on those words of Bruh Joseph. ‘What the brothers had meant for evil, God had intended for good. This is one of the clearest declarations (yes!!!) of divine providence found anywhere in the Bible, reminding us that God’s purpose prevails over the evil of men.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth! That’s why we don’t have to worry about the deeds of the evildoers. 

As Bruh David so poignantly tells it in Psalm 37: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers; neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (thou shalt feed on His faithfulness.’ (Ps. 37:1-3) And Bruh Joseph is a wonderful example of those sentiments my fellow saints. How many of us today could have put up with such unjust and unfair treatment and foster a good attitude, still remain true to the God of your fathers? 

Definitely not many of us. But that’s what true faith is about; believing what God says, even though it’s difficult and sometimes seems impossible. And that’s where this scripture so adeptly, so adroitly, so neatly, comes in: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) Until we sincerely believe that, and put it to work in our lives, we’ll be forever doubting, complaining and getting angry with God! 

But getting back to Bruh Joseph’s story. The Good Library says: ‘And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees (his great grandchildren). 

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die (I am dying): and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware  to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you (to help you), and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.’ (Gen. 50:22-26) 

And the amazing thing is that the Lord did visit the Israelites to bring them out of bondage in Egypt, some four hundred years later, and they did take up Bruh Joseph’s coffin to bury him in the Promised Land. (cf. Ex.13:19; Josh. 24:32). And an interesting note from the scholars. The Hebrew word for coffin (aron) is the same word used for the ark of the covenant in the Old testament. 

What a story though my people! Bruh Joseph was indeed one of God’s chosen, and now that I’ve told his story, my spirit is now light and guiltless. (smile) Why, you ask? Well, because Bruh Joseph is one of my three Bruh’s, including Bruh David and Bruh Paul. However, down through the years I’ve continually talked about the latter two, but hardly about Bruh Joseph, who was certainly the most saintly and innocent of the three. And I kept promising myself to write more about him, but never really got around to it, until now. That’s possibly because the other two Bruhs are featured all over the Bible, but not so much Bruh Joseph. 

However, as they say, nothing happens before it’s time, and I guess this was the Lord’s time for it. (smile) And I do hope you all enjoyed Bruh Joseph’s story, because it’s a majestic drama, one highlighting God’s mysterious ways, and a story from which we can learn so much in these evil and ungodly days. So please don’t forget it. Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel. 

Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

Now, let’s go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do! Much LOVE!

…wake up believers…it’s time to fulfill our destiny…to be the true salt of the earth…and light of the world… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 October 2023 Genesis 50:12.

16 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 50:12.       And his (Jacob’s) sons did unto him according as he commanded them.

And as surely as the sunshine follows the rain, and the moon the sun, so does Monday follow Sunday. It’s a day that many of us don’t like because it wakes us from our weekend slumber, but it’s all a part of this thing we call life, and instead of complaining about it, we had better grab it by the tail and swing with it, if we want to enjoy the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. And all God’s people said, ‘Praise the Lord!’ 

Yes, for our own sakes, we had better hold on to God. Do like Bruh Joseph did despite his many trials and much tribulation, most of which were unfair and unjust. And as the Lord promised, when the time was right, He came through for him. The Lord will do the same for each one of us who faces our storms with a good attitude and keep Him first place in our lives. 

Now, the last time we saw Bruh Joseph his father Jacob had died after blessing his sons and making them promise to bury him in the land of Canaan with his fathers, Isaac and Abraham. Bruh Joseph had therefore had Jacob’s body embalmed and the Egyptians mourned for the patriarch for sixty days. 

The Bible then tells us: ‘And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace (favour) in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now, therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.’ (Gen. 50:4-6) 

It’s obvious that Pharaoh was very proud of and understanding where Bruh Joseph was concerned. And he had just cause because Bruh Joseph had saved Egypt from certain ruin during the years of the severe famine, and even made Pharaoh richer than he had previously been. 

Thus, the Bible relates: ‘And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. And all the house of Joseph and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.’ (Gen. 50:7-9) 

Wow! Jacob certainly had a big, royal-like send off. But he deserved it for he was indeed royalty; the patriarch of Israel. And it’s interesting how the Egyptians treated the Hebrews in the early days, as opposed to four hundred years later, under the Pharaoh who supposedly didn’t know of Bruh Joseph and the history of the Hebrew children in Egypt. 

And the Good Library continues: ‘And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and they mourned with a great and very sore (solemn) lamentation: and he made (observed) a mourning for his father seven days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim (Mourning of Egypt), which is beyond Jordan.’ (Gen. 50: 10-11) 

Imagine that nuh, the great sorrow expressed by the Egyptians over a Hebrew man. That was when the Hebrews were a mere handful of people, before they grew into such a substantial amount of people, that they threatened the Egyptian’s security, and had to be enslaved to keep them quiet. 

‘And his (Jacob’s) sons did unto him according as he commanded them. For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.’ (Gen. 50:12-14) 

Oh mih people, can you imagine the spectacle that funeral must have been? With Egyptians and Hebrews, chariots and horses, plus food carts and whatever moving over the land from Egypt to Canaan. And on the way to Canaan land, they stopped for seven days and partied on the threshing floor of Atad. It was such an immense spectacle that the Canaanites changed the name of the place to Abel-mizraim (the Mourning of Egypt). 

At that moment in time, all of the great Hebrew patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, had finally been put to rest in the land that their God had promised to their descendants. And the Hebrew people went on growing and prospering in the land of Goshen in Egypt, through the generous auspices of their great God. Likewise, we can also prosper if we sincerely turn to Him for help… and do we ever need a monumental amount of help in our world right now. 

So, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s go to the throne of grace in confident humility and ask for divine help to handle our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘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!’ 

It’s obvious then, that our next step is to change our evil ways…if we truly desire to receive divine help. Much LOVE!

…with sincere obedience…divine help is only a prayer away… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 October 2023 Matthew 25:13.

15 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 25:13.       Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Oh friends, the big day, Sunday, the Lord’s Day is here at last! That joyful day when believers gather in the Lord’s sanctuary, or wherever two or three are gathered in Christ’s name, to celebrate our blessings, to praise and worship our wonderful God with grateful hearts, and have our confidence and faith renewed and uplifted! And all God’s people said a loud and proud ‘Amen!’ 

And today we’ll begin the celebrations with the singing of an old but favourite gospel spiritual titled ‘Give Me Oil in My Lamp.’ Remember those days when we use to sing that ditty as children? Unfortunately, in these supposed modern times, the children are not taught simple but very inspirational songs like that. 

Now, in the Old Testament ‘Oil” is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, as well as ‘wealth, abundance, health, energy, and a vital ingredient for a good life. It can likewise represent spiritual abundance, only possible through what God gives. As Isaiah 55:1-7 shows, this oil is “bought” through listening to God, delighting in what He gives, and seeking to be like Him.’ 

And thus, in this song it can be said that we’re technically asking for “Oil” of the Holy Spirit to light up our lamps and our lives, to keep them “burning” so that we can keep being on fire for our God. Therefore, in accordance with that sentiment, let’s sing a joyful, up tempo, sincere heartfelt version to set the stage for today’s proceedings. 

Singing: ‘Give me oil in my lamp, to keep me burning. Give me oil in my lamp, I pray. Give me oil in my lamp, to keep me burning, burning, burning. Keep me burning till the break of day. (Refrain: Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the King of kings! Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the King!) Give me LOVE in my heart, to keep me sharing. Give me LOVE in my heart, I pray. Give me LOVE in my heart, to keep me sharing, sharing, sharing. Keep me sharing till the break of day. (Refrain) 

Give me joy in my heart, to keep me singing. Give me joy in my heart, I pray. Give me joy in my heart, to keep me singing, singing, singing. Keep me singing till the break of day. (Refrain) Give me faith in my heart, to keep me praying. Give me faith in my heart, I pray. Give me faith in my heart, to keep me praying, praying, praying. Keep me praying till the break of day. (Refrain: Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the King of kings! Sing hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna to the King!) (Repeat).’ 

Oh my people, that ought to have brought back memories of our youth to some of us old fogeys, and thus enlivened our spirits this Sunday morning. (smile) I know it sure did mine. And what’s it all about eh? I guess there could be several interpretations, but I like this one commentary that claims, ‘it signifies a thirst for spiritual food – spiritual food to get one through the darkest of times in hopes of s brighter day, a clearer vision of one’s path or until one gains their salvation.’ 

And I can surely imagine the slaves on the plantations singing something like this as they unfairly toil in the burning sun, awaiting their day of freedom down here on earth or up in heaven. The song does give one encouragement to keep on keeping on, like Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race); I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing.’ (2 Tim. 4:7-8) 

Yes my brethren, that’s what we need, stamina, faith and perseverance to fight the good fight for Christ and to finish our earthly race as winners, so that the Lord can give us that awesome crown of righteousness! And that’s what this song helps us to do; stand strong and steadfast in Christ Jesus! But how can we do otherwise eh, with LOVE, joy, and faith in our hearts for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? 

It seems that the song is based on Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, which indicates readiness and stewardship of believers. He likened the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins, who were invited to light the way with lamps for a bridegroom when he arrived at the ceremony. But the bridegroom was delayed and didn’t show up until midnight. 

And as the virgins went out to meet him, five realized that they didn’t have enough oil to keep their lamps burning and asked the other five who had brought extra oil to sell them some. But they refused, and so the five without oil, or the five foolish went out to buy some, but by the time they got back the bridegroom had arrived and closed the doors and they were left out of the celebration. (Matt. 25:1-12) 

And the moral of the story? There are all sorts of controversies over the parable, even to whether Jesus even spoke it, or it was later added. However, the general consensus is that believers must always be in a state of readiness for whenever Jesus returns, for He is liable to come at any time, night or day. As Jesus says at the end of the parable: ‘Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt. 25:13) Or, as the saying goes, He can return like a thief in the night, and if you’re not ready, then crapaud smoke yuh pipe! 

And as per the question as to why the wise virgins didn’t share their oil? I like how this commentary answers it. ‘The reason why the wise virgins couldn’t share their oil is because their oil isn’t oil. Their oil is their faith. Our faith is what prepares us for the day of our judgment and the coming of Christ. And you cannot share your faith.’ That means you cannot rely on anybody else’s’ faith, you must have your own! And the only way to get that is by receiving Christ as your Lord and Saviour, then studying His word and putting it into action in your life. That is the wisest decision a human being can ever make! Much LOVE!

…seek ye first the kingdom of heaven…and it’s righteousness… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 October 2023 Genesis 49:33.

14 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 49:33.       …he gathered up (drew up) his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost (breathed his last), and was gathered unto his people.

Well, it’s a fine ole lazy-day Saturday in my area; cloudy and rainy. Just perfect for the lazing around, do nothing kind of day we want. Unfortunately though, I could not lie abed and enjoy it for as long as I desired because my back and neck would not work together and find a comfortable position for me to lie in. So, I decided I might as well get up and be about my Father’s business. And the first item on our agenda, as always, is to say our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

Together then, let’s offer up a sincere, heartfelt prayer. ‘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 in the quiet of the morning, our prayer floats up to heaven, then an overwhelming peace, with God’s silent presence fills our souls and bodies, and opens us up to a new dimension of grace in this earthly realm. Oh, the power of sincere prayer my people! If we could only exercise more of it, our lives would be ever so much more fruitful! Now let’s turn to that mighty story of Bruh Joseph and see how it’s progressing. (smile) 

Yesterday, we reached the point where Jacob (Israel) blessed his eleven sons. The Bible then tells us: ‘And he (Jacob) charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite. In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah (his first wife). The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.’ (Gen. 49:29-32) 

I like how Jacob demanded or insisted that they bury him in the family’s burying place in Canaan. And I do want to be buried in my homeland of Tobago, but unlike Jacob, I don’t have a burial spot at this time. But yuh know what, anywhere in Tobago will suit me fine, just as long as by bones rest for eternity in God’s li’l acre, that sweet land of Robinson Crusoe! (smile) 

Don’t know if I’ll be able to do like Jacob in this respect either. The Good Library continues thus: ‘And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up (drew up) his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost (breathed his last), and was gathered unto his people.’ (Gen. 49:33) 

Ah friends, many of us don’t get to go over to the other side so easily; we are wracked with pain, even unconsciousness, and have no inkling of what’s happening around us. That’s why we ought always to be prepared, to have our house in order, for we know not if and/or when we’ll be suddenly called to the other side of the Jordan. 

Then, after Jacob’s death, the Bible informs us: ‘And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.’ (Gen: 50:1-3) I guess that goes to show how revered both Joseph and his father were in the eyes of the Egyptians. 

Now, here’s some interesting information from the scholars. They say: ‘Jacob was embalmed and Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians to do the work. Medicine and the embalming were two distinct professions. He may have employed the physicians so as to avoid the magic and mysticism of the embalmer and priests. The threescore and ten days for mourning accord with the traditional period for mummification and mourning. The various internal viscera (organs) were removed and placed in canopic jars of natron (a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate), causing rapid dehydration and preventing decomposition of the body.’ 

And that’s today’s lesson 101 in Mummification! (smile) It’s interesting though,that back then they went to such lengths to save the actual body for reuse in the afterlife. Meanwhile, today we don’t need to do that, for with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we’ve been promised a renewed body in the next life. And I’ll use this excerpt from an article by Matt Perman on whether we receive the same body we had on earth during the resurrection. 

He writes: ‘Philippians 3:20-21 says that our earthly body is transformed into conformity with Christ’s body in the resurrection, not that God creates a new body from scratch: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” 

That means our bodies will be glorified, made like Christ’s when He rose from the grave. And we saw that it was the same basic outer shell, with the scars in his hands and side, but it was all glorified both internally and externally; heightened, transformed from perishable or human to imperishable or immortal. 

As Bruh Paul says, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible (imperishable), and we shall be changed. For this corruptible (perishable) must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible (perishable) shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.’ (1 Cor. 15:51-54) 

Yes friends, we don’t need to worry about our mortal bodies for when Jesus comes for His church in the Rapture our mortal and perishable bodies will become imperishable and immortal just like Christ’s. Now isn’t that something to look forward to? Of course! So, let’s get serious and truly live this life for Christ nuh. Much LOVE!

…Christianity is the only belief system…that guarantees immortality… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 October 2023 Genesis 49:8.

13 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 49:8.         Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: …thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

And it’s one of those Friday the 13th days, when all the old wives tales surface. Tales like don’t walk beneath a ladder today, or don’t let a black cat cross your path. There’s also the superstition that the number 13 itself is unlucky, that’s why you don’t find 13th floors in buildings or elevators. But be that as it may, we’ll still joyfully declare ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ Although this was just a four-day work week. (smile) So, without further ado, let’s get down to the Father’s business. That means to continue looking at Bruh Joseph’s amazing and intriguing story, as we promised if God spared life. And since He most mercifully did so, let’s get to it! 

We’ve reached the point where the old patriarch Jacob, hitherto known as Israel, calls his sons together to bless them. And it’s from him that we derive the twelve tribes of Israel. Now there are actually eleven sons of his loins, but we’ve seen where He adopts or calls the first two sons of Bruh Joseph his. But when the Promised Land is divided up, Bruh Joseph doesn’t have a tribe, but his two sons do, which makes it twelve. Anyway, Jacob on his deathbed calls his sons together and blesses them according to the order of their birth, with Reuben the oldest first, and Benjamin, the youngest last. 

The scholars tell us: ‘Jacob concludes his life as other saints who spoke a blessing before their end: Isaac (Gen. 27), Moses (Deut. 33), Joshua (Josh. 24), and Samuel (1 Sam. 12).’ Now, we don’t have either time nor space to go through all the blessings, so we’ll only go through the two most important ones, Bruh Joseph’s, because it’s his story we’re dealing with, and Judah’s because his line turned out to be the most influential. And just for interest’s sake, those two have the longest blessings. 

So, let’s begin with Bruh Joseph’s blessing. Jacob said: ‘Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely (bitterly) grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength (remained strong), and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 

Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under (beneath), blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed (excelled) above the blessings of my progenitors (ancestors) unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.’ (Gen. 49:22-26) 

Yes friends, though Bruh Joseph was separated from his brothers through envy and jealousy, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob kept him strong, showed him favour in his many trials, and eventually blessed him with great honour and material wealth, and he would go on to do well, if he kept walking with the Lord. 

As for Judah, Jacob said: ‘Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in (on) the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee (reminiscent of Bruh Joseph’s dream). Judah is a lion’s welp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped (crouches), he couched (lies) down as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 

The sceptre (symbol of kingship) shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering (obedience) of the people be. Binding his foal (donkey) unto the vine, and his ass’s (donkey’s) colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with (darker than) wine, and his teeth white with (whiter than) milk.’ (Gen. 49:8-12) 

And what does all of that mean eh? Let’s get some insight from the scholars. They say ‘The key thought is expressed as the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. The sceptre was a symbol of royal power. Lawgiver, according to Speiser, refers to a mace. Etymologically (in its origins), it is something pertaining to a legislator or one in authority, and from the context, an analogue of (comparison to) the sceptre. When a dignity was seated, the staff would rest between his feet. 

Jacob was not saying his (Judah’s) rule would end when Shiloh came. On the contrary, this term denotes the turning point at which the superiority of Judah will continue, and at that time to be enlarged to embrace all nations. Shiloh is a hidden name for Messiah; it is made up of three grammatical parts (sh–l– oh) meaning “Him to Whom it (the Sceptre or Kingdom ) Belongs.” It is not to be taken as a proper name for Messiah, nor does it refer to the town where the tabernacle was later established, for this would be meaningless prophetically. 

The phrase and unto him shall be the gathering of the people be means, literally, “And unto him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” This can refer only to the Messiah. Thus the reference to a lion in verse 9 points to that One who is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” (Rev. 5:5). Verses 11 and 12 describe the millennial prosperity (cf. Is. 11:1-9; Ezek. 34:23-31; Amos 9:11-15).’ 

Yes my people, it sounds very complicated and difficult to understand, but the long and short of the story is that Judah would be the tribe, the line from which the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would come. That’s why Jacob prophesied so mightily in Judah’s blessing. And it just goes to show all the foreshadowing that the Lord did when compiling His Word. Even from the days of Jacob a Messiah was in the works. That’s why we say the Lord is indeed the greatest dramatist there is! But He is also the Creator and Controller, the One to whom we need to go for divine help for our earthly problems. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

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!’ 

And the operative words in that prayer my people are ‘by the example, we, your faithful believers set.’ So please, let’s be about setting a good example nuh. Much LOVE!

…one truth from the Bible…is worth…more than all the wisdom of man…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 October 2023 Genesis 49:2.

12 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 49:2.       Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

And I can’t believe it’s already Thursday! This week sure has passed very quickly. I guess that’s because Monday was the Thanksgiving holiday and when we’re in holiday or party mode we don’t notice the days fly by. When it’s all work and no play though, it’s a different story. (smile) Anyway, it’s a nice sunny day in my area and life seems to be unfurling as the Creator of the universe planned it. So, let’s give thanks and enjoy what we have, while raising our level of Christian maturity, for many others have much less than we do, and are much contented than we are. 

And with those words of wisdom, (smile) let’s turn to the intriguing story of Bruh Joseph and see what happens in today’s episode. Yesterday we left Bruh Joseph in a state of some displeasure and wonder because His father Jacob had blessed his sons, but in the wrong sequence. He had given the blessing of the first born with his right hand to the younger son Ephraim and the lesser blessing with his left hand, to the oldest son Manasseh. Why? According to Jacob: ‘he (Manasseh) also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.’ (Gen. 48:19) 

So, Bruh Joseph was overruled by his father. And yesterday we noticed where unlike when Isaac been almost blind had wrongly blessed the scheming Jacob, dressed up in hairy goat skins, thinking him to be Esau, Jacob was quite aware of what he was doing, when he blessed Bruh Joseph’s sons in the unconventional order. Why he did it, no one knows for sure, but the scholars have some theories which we promised to share today if God spared life. And since He has blessedly done that, let’s see what the scholars have to offer. 

They say: ‘There is a gentle irony in the fact that on just such an occasion as this Jacob had exercised his guile in his youth (Ch. 27). Once more we have an example of the firstborn’s blessing being given to the younger brother; but in this instance there is no bitterness, resentment, or scheming (cf. Prov. 10:22) They shall be mine has been taken as a form of adoption on the part of Jacob in relation to Manasseh and Ephraim. The purpose may have been to give an inheritance to someone who was not automatically qualified, even though the father already had heirs of his own. 

But they shall be mine may only mean that the grandfather welcomed the two latest additions into the clan which he headed. Or it may mean that the passage simply concerns inheritance, as verse 6 indicates. In that case, Jacob was using his paternal authority to enable Joseph’s sons to inherit directly from their grandfather, rather than from Joseph. This act would honour (his wife) Rachel’s memory by giving her three tribal territories in the Promised Land.’ Even to his dying day Jacob seems to show that amongst his several wives, Rachel was his first and only LOVE. 

Whatever the reason though, Bruh Jospeh’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim are to this day numbered among the sons of Israel and when the Promised Land was divided amongst the twelve tribes, their names were featured in the division instead of their father’s. But they are still known as the two Josephite tribes. 

The scholars then inform us that the greater ‘blessing of Jacob on Ephraim became evident during the time of the judges. By this time it had increased in number and power so that it exercised leadership among the 10 northern tribes. Later the name Ephraim became equal to the name Israel (cf. Is. 7:2; Hos. 4:17; 13:1).’ In other words, when you spoke of Ephraim, it came mean all the tribes of Israel. So, Jacob was right in his prognosis of the power of the two of Bruh Joseph’s sons. 

Now, after blessing Bruh Joseph’s two sons, the Bible tells us that Jacob turned to him. ‘And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover, I have given to thee one portion (shoulder) above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.’ (Gen. 48:21-22) There again, we see how Jacob favoured Bruh Joseph, giving him more inheritance than his siblings. 

And we’ll end today episode with these interesting words from the Good Library. ‘And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.’ (Gen. 49:1-2) And I like that even on his death bed, Jacob was still full of enough spunk and backbone to command his sons’ attention! Then he blessed each son, in the order of their birth. And it’s amazing how all his blessings and prophecies came through. Tomorrow, as always, if God spares life, we’ll check out some of those blessings. 

Now let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) the underserved favour we call our Thursday Blessings, that have been generously bestowed on us to do God’s work. 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 made that declaration (yesss!!!) let’s now go out and put those blessings to work in the lives of others as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us! That’s our bounden duty! Much LOVE!

…blessings are not meant to be selfishly kept…but to be generously shared… 

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

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