Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 April 2023 Psalm 27:1.

23 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 27:1.         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?

It’s time once again friends to gather in the Lord’s sanctuary to celebrate His holy day, Sunday, the Sabbath. It’s supposed to be a day of rest and relaxation, praise, worship and fellowship amongst believers, but with all the supposed progress our world has made, it naturally entails that some things must run twenty four -seven, which makes it difficult for all believers to gather on a Sunday. However, if we fall into that category, it’s imperative that we take one day, whenever it’s convenient, to rest from labour and spend more time than normal to praise and worship and glorify our great God. 

But for those of us who made it today, we’ll open our worship with an interesting song called ‘Buried Alive’ by an interesting man named Buju Banton. Yes, we all know the gentleman who paid a hefty price to society for his lawlessness, but on his release from prison, having seemed to change his ways, he became an even bigger star and celebrity than before his prison time. That just goes to show how sometimes the Lord can move in the lives of the least expected and turn them to his use. 

And this song from Buju seems to mirror that by John Newton, ‘Amazing Grace,’ when he turned from his ungodly ways. So let’s send up sacrificial praises, as we sing ‘Buried Alive’ in a lively, heartfelt, up-tempo beat, thinking about how it could quite easily apply to each of us, who have been given another chance, or even many more chances, by our merciful, forgiving and gracious God. 

So, singing: (Chorus: ‘Oh Lord, I was buried alive, but I’m still breathing. I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart‘s still beating. Buried alive, but I’m still breathing, I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. Now I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart‘s still beating.) Now all this time… I’ve been blind… only running against the wind. Friends of mine …pass with time… After living a life of sin. Now many give up, many give in. It’s my determination to win. I survived, the worst of times, I survived. (Chorus:) 

Oh, they made a ditch for one, but there would be two, In their attempt to out my life, The wicked things they do. But Jah made I brave, and I can’t care the grave, Oh no, The Lord is my salvation, Of whom shall I fear? Yeah, I was buried alive, but I’m still breathing, I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. Oh Lord, Now I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart ‘s still beating… (One more time) Yes, I was buried alive, but I’m still breathing, I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, But I’ve got a feeling. Oh Lord, Now I am alive, there must be a reason, I was given one more chance, my heart ‘s still beating…my heart’s still beating…my heart’s still beating…my heart’s still beating…’ 

Oh friends, that story is indeed true of each one of us in some way or another, not that we necessarily went to prison to pay for our crime(s) against society, but we’ve all been called out by God to witness against our sins against Him. And in whatever unfortunate circumstance we might have found ourself, He rescued us, and gave us another chance. So, as Buju so rightly says, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but the good news is that we’re still breathing, and there must be a reason for the Lord allowing it. 

And yes there certainly is: it’s for us to live the way He desires and spread His good news gospel to all whom we might meet, letting them know by both our talk and our walk the kind of wonderful Deity He is, and He is desirous that ALL His human creation come to salvation, to reconciliation and eternal life with Him. Yes, my fellow believers we’re still here to do Christ’s Great Commission… and please, let’s not forget it, as so many of us are wont to do as we get caught up in the affairs of this evil and ungodly world. 

And these words in the song ought to wake us up. ‘Now all this time… I’ve been blind… only running against the wind. Friends of mine …pass with time… After living a life of sin. Now many give up, many give in. It’s my determination to win. I survived, the worst of times, I survived.’ Oh my people, so many of us have been on the same ungodly bent for so long, it’s time we become determined to win, to not give up…with Jesus’ help of course. For, as He so plainly says when talking about the vine and the branches: ‘for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) And that’s the gospel truth! 

And I like how the old Jamaican Proverb is included. ‘If you dig a hole (ditch), you’d better dig two,’ because the trap you set might just backfire on you, for what we sow, we usually reap. And as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) likes to add, you’ll reap later than you sow, and more than you sow. And you can’t dispute that truth. And Cousin Sol, in his divine wisdom, obviously has a take on the subject too. In Proverbs, he writes: ‘Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return (roll back) upon him.’ (Prov. 26:27) We can’t doubt his words either, since those are things we witness everyday in this ungodly world…the destruction of the wicked. 

Then these poignant words from the song ought to rise up and speak to us. ‘In their attempt to out my life, The wicked things they do. But Jah made I brave, and I can’t care the grave, Oh no, The Lord is my salvation, Of whom shall I fear?’ Now don’t’ they echo the sentiments of Bruh David in Psalm 27? They surely do! Bruh David, though highly favoured and blessed by God, still underwent many trials and tribulations, some his fault, others just the luck of the draw, like King Saul hunting him down like a wild animal for so many years, just because he had been anointed as the next king of Israel. 

In one of his difficult times, he penned these most notable words. ‘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? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty, (delightfulness, majesty) of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up (in honour) above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. ’ (Ps. 27:1- 6) 

Oh my fellow saints in Christ, I do hope the words of that psalm echo the confident trust that we have in Almighty God, and that we indeed sang sacrificial praises this morning in His tabernacle, for that’s one of the things we gathered there to do. Now, let’s spend some time today meditating on those awesome words, so that they can be written indelibly in our hearts and souls, ready to be used in our time of trial and testing. Much LOVE!

…if God is on your side…then there’s no need to fear… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 April 2023 Lamentations 3:26.

22 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Lamentations 3:26.          It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord.

And it’s a perfect lazy day Saturday! The rain fell during the night…and is still drizzling some, the temperature is in the low teens, just the right atmosphere for lying in bed and enjoying a peaceful Saturday morning. Unfortunately though, some of us cannot afford to enjoy those luxuries, those creature comforts, for we have to get up and be about our Father’s business. (smile) And what does our Father want us to talk about on this brand-new day eh, when His mercies and compassions are brand spanking new, not yesterday’s leftovers? 

And it seems to be these wise and encouraging words from the Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah, which declare (yesss!!!): ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord.’ (Lam. 3:25-26) Oh friends, those are such powerful and wise words that if our world would only consider doing them, we’d be living in an earthly paradise rather than the earthly hell that currently surrounds us! 

But no, our thing these days is to turn away from the Lord, the source of our creation and continued breath of life, even to the point of trying to turf Him out of our society. Yes, the evil and darkness in our world is so strong that a lot of us are leaning in that direction. But I’m here to tell us once again, that that will NEVER happen! The enemy might gain a fair amount of power, but the Lord will NEVER give up His hold on His creation and all therein, as He says so plainly in Isiah 42:8. ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’ 

What’s so difficult about that to understand eh?  It’s very clear and plain as far as I can see. But the wicked and foolish just don’t learn. They don’t see that their leader, Satan himself was no match for God and was kicked out of heaven, and even then, he was further weakened by Christ’s triumphant victory over him at Calvary. For the wise believers though, there are several scriptures throughout the Bible that recommend waiting quietly and patiently upon the Lord. Let’s look at a few of them nuh. 

And right at the very beginning, as the children of Israel stood fearfully watching the mighty Red Sea in front of them, blocking their escape route, with Pharaoh’s army hot on their heels, Moses uttered these words of truth, faith and encouragement to them. ‘And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace (be quiet).’ (Ex. 14:13-14)  

And we all know what happened: Moses, through the Lord’s grace, lifted up his rod and parted the Red Sea, the Israelites walked across on dry land, then the Egyptians were swallowed up by the reconverging waters. That’s possibly one of the mightiest acts the Lord ever did in man’s history, but can you believe that those Israelites forget about it in no time and began doubting the Lord and complaining about their circumstances. That’s why they wondered forty aimless years in the wilderness till all the adults who came out of Egypt were dead, with only Joshua and Caleb from that old group making it into the Promised Land. 

And sadly friends, that’s still how many of us are today. The Lord has done all sort of good deeds in our lives, but we’re not very thankful, and forget them as soon as a new, unfortunate circumstance raises its head in our dreary lives. But there is yet hope for us, and we can change our attitudes with hopeful and encouraging words from the scriptures. 

Listen to these encouraging words from Psalm 130 – A Song of Degrees – where the psalmist declares (chuh!!!): ‘But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared (reverenced). I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-kindness), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:3-8) 

Now how can we believers argue with those sentiments eh, when they are the gospel truth? But hear this verse from Isaiah, as he talks of the graciousness and mercy of our wonderful God. ‘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) How can we ever go wrong waiting on our most merciful and gracious God eh? We cannot! But please note that in all our waiting we must exalt and reverence Him. That’s the most important aspect of waiting on His timing. 

And there are many more scriptures in the Good Library on waiting and hoping in the Lord, but I believe Bruh David says it perfectly in Psalm 37, which advises us to trust in the Lord. Please read these marvellous words of wisdom and encouragement with me. ‘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 (feed on His faithfulness). 

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. 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.’ (Ps. 37:1-9) 

Oh my fellow saints, what marvellous, true and encouraging words for us to ponder on this rainy, lazy Saturday! So, let’s take a few minutes and do just that nuh, for it will certainly brighten our spirits and our day! Much LOVE!

…it’s not easy to wait on the Lord’s timing…but you can be assured that He’s in total control…and He’s NEVER late…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 April 2023 Mark 4:40.

21 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Mark 4:40.       And he (Jesus) said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how it is that ye have no faith?

And all around the world this Friday morning, the shout was heard: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ It leads us to wonder if there isn’t a better way we could set up, or restructure our society, without us all dying to get through the work week, only thinking about the coming of Friday and the two days off the job. And I think about all the traffic jams every morning and evening, the loss of numerous man hours spent in the highway parking lots, then the tiredness when one gets to work, and also when one finally arrives home, only to be expected to prepare for the next day.

For people who can go to the moon and mars and wherever we now go in outer space, it’s somewhat archaic the way our society is designed. Do we all need to get to the same point at the same time and leave at the same time five days a week. That only causes more confusion and consternation than is necessary. Just take a look at the highways and byways, and the train and bus stations in the early morning and the late afternoon. People are rushing around like crazy to catch a bus or a train, and those on the crowed highways just sit and stew or move a few feet at a time because of the congested roads.

But I guess that’s just the nature of man; we constantly seek new frontiers while disregarding the sad realities of our present situations. We all want to go to new places, while our current places leave so much to be desired. But fortunately for us, we have Jesus, who is the Master of Peace and Calm as so vividly noted in the Gospel of Mark. He writes that Jesus and his disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee in a convoy of ships, when ‘There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship so that was now full (filling with water),

And he (Jesus) was in the hinder part (stern) of the ship, asleep on a pillow: (what confidence) and they awake him, and say unto him, Master (Teacher), carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he (Jesus) said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, (who can this be) that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark 4:37-41)

Ah friends, the wind and the sea obeyed Jesus, and still obey Him, because He is the one who created them in the first place. Yes, He is also the Master of the wind and sea! Please note the words of John in his gospel where He describes Jesus as the Word. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.’ (John 1:1-3)

So it ought to come as no surprise that the wind and the sea obey Christ. In fact, everything that He’s made, sadly except mankind, obeys Him. And that’s why we’re in the rut we’re currently in, filled with evil and darkness, headed straight for the dungeons of hellfire and damnation! Our obedience to the God of our supposed creation is woefully inadequate at this point in time. And only if we return to the fold of the One who created us, will our situation ever improve.

Haven’t we learned anything from Jesus’ sojourn here on earth? Apparently not. He calmed the raging wind and sea, and can also calm the storms that are in all of our lives, because He is the Master of the storm. But we first have to acknowledge that fact, then give our lives over to him, so that He can work His miracles in us. And not only a part of our lives, but our entire life, from pillar to post. He can’t work, or rather, He won’t work in bits and pieces. It’s ALL or NOTHING at ALL!

As Cousin Sol so wisely say in Proverbs. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make straight) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6) It couldn’t be any clearer than that. And another thing, we are all crying out for peace, but who is known as the Prince of Peace eh? None other than Jesus! It’s listed right there in the book of Isaiah, amongst his many names: ‘He shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’ (Is. 9:6)

And if you don’t believe Isaiah, then listen to Jesus himself while He was down here on earth. When He tells the disciples of the coming of the Holy Spirit to replace Him, He says to them: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you: let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) And if that still doesn’t satisfy you, then listen to Jesus again as He tells the disciples of His returning to heaven. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33)

And if you’re a true believer in Christ, then you ought to rest secure in His promises and assurances. Oh my fellow believers, in this world, individually we can’t do a whole lot to change it, but with the peace and calm that is found in Christ Jesus, we can certainly make a good and positive difference in our own li’l corner. And as His church, if we get together in one unity, we can certainly turn this evil and ungodly world around. But before we do anything at all, we first have to come to terms with Jesus individually and accept the peace and calm that He and no one else offers.

And having said all of that, let’s go to Him now in prayer, through our Friday Chant, sincerely asking for His divine help, to calm our storms and bring us His peace, the divine peace that passes all man’s understanding. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe.

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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, it’s time for us to do as we promised, so that God’s answer can be positive. Much LOVE!

…seeking true peace and calm…the ONLY place to find them is in Christ Jesus…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 April 2023 Ephesians 4:27.

20 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 4:27. Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.

Well, it seems that the sun has the upper hand in the weather contest this Thursday morning in early spring. But fear not, the dark clouds are hovering around, ready to slip in, once the sun makes a wrong step. And that is exactly how the devil does with us believers. He’s always there hovering and loitering, waiting for us to make a misstep, then jump right into the opening in our souls and spirits. And that’s why there are so many warnings in the scriptures about being careful of the wiles and evil schemes of Beelzebub. 

Jesus even warned us about falsehood and evil in this world. He said in no uncertain terms: ‘The thief cometh not but for (except) to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:10-11) And that’s exactly what He did on the cross at Calvary; gave His life for us, the sheep of His pasture. But the devil has no such good intentions towards us. He just wants to wreak havoc amongst us and invade our souls and do the same there, his basic intention being to turn us away from believing in and truly living for Christ. 

And that’s why we have to pay serious attention to this scripture from Peter. He writes: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-11) 

There you have it in black and white friends: the devil is always prowling around to see whom he can snare in his evil trap. And though he pretends to be a lion, he’s a toothless one, with only a frightening roar. That’s because Jesus knocked out all of his teeth when He died and rose from the dead. That was Jesus’ knockout punch to the enemy, thus making him a toothless and powerless foe. Remember, he has no power over us, unless we give it to him. As they say, his bark is worse than his bite, since he has no teeth to bite. (smile) The problem though is that we continually give the devil room to manoeuvre in our lives because we don’t pay sufficient attention to the things we do and say. 

And that’s James’ reason for warning us, when he says: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded….Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:7-8, 10) Yes friends, we must resist the devil. That’s the only way we can get rid of him. And one way of doing that is by turning seriously and sincerely to God. Humbling ourselves before Him, cleansing our hands and purifying our hearts through sincere communication and doing of His holy will. 

The devil won’t just go away and leave you alone…at least not for long. As Luke reminds us in the temptation of Jesus. ‘And when the devil had ended all the temptation (testing), he departed from him for a season (until an appropriate time).’ (Luke 4:13) That shows when you resist the devil, he goes away, but only until he sees another opportune time to confound you. But please note too how Jesus resisted the devil during His period of testing; by quoting scripture to him. ‘It is written…that man should not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ (Luke 4:4) ‘It is written…Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.’ (Luke 4:8) ‘It is written…Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’ (Luke 4:12) 

Yes my fellow believers, when the devil gets a good dose of scriptures in his evil machinations, he goes away, but only for a time. That’s why we need to read, meditate and remember the scriptures so we can throw it back in his face when he comes a calling. Now, please note that when Jesus shot the scriptures at the devil, he backed off. So don’t think for one moment that Satan doesn’t know the scriptures. He possibly knows them better than us, for remember once upon a time, he was the Archangel Lucifer, the Bright Morning Star, who’s foolish pride caused him to rebel against God and get kicked out of heaven down to the fiery depths of Hades. 

And we can’t quote scriptures on resisting the devil and not quote these from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. (smile) He writes: ‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lust; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil. 

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:22-32) 

Oh my fellow saints that’s just the way we ought to live as true believers! And I know that it’s not always easy to live the godly, righteous life, but it’s the best way to fight off the enemy and his evil wiles and schemes. Don’t give him even a toe hold in our lives by doing the things Bruh Paul warns of. And if we live that way, we won’t have to fight off the devil as often. Now, I hope that give us some reassurance in standing up mano a mano to the enemy, but our God is so wonderful that He’s bestowed blessings on us, that we call Thursday Blessings, so that we can do His earthly work and live the way He desires. Let’s declare (steups!!!) them out loud now so we can activate them. 

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!’ 

And having activated those blessings, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and use them to help others come to know and LOVE Jesus like we do! Much LOVE!

…living the way Jesus desires…reduces the attacks of the enemy…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 April 2023   2 Timothy 4:7.

19 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 4:7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith:

Awright, so we gone back to this cold weather nonsense. (smile) There were even some snowflakes yesterday evening, although they didn’t turn into anything serious. But just the very thought that we could still be seeing snow is annoying and frustrating. So when we awaken to this Wednesday morning cold and somewhat cloudy, it doesn’t do anything positive or good for one’s constitution, (smile) 

But thankfully, the sun is fighting a valiant battle to come out, although the clouds don’t look like they intend to give up without a fierce fight. And that my dear brothers and sisters in Christ is how we are supposed to be as true followers of Christ; in never give up mode, fight right down to the finish! In fact, in Christ’s kingdom, the words ‘give up’ simply don’t exist, because there’s no need for them. 

That echoes Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy, after telling him that ‘godliness with contentment is great gain, and money being the root of all kinds of evil and the evil deeds one can get into by LOVING money. (1 Tim. 6:6-10) He then advises him: ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12) 

Yes my fellow believers, that’s exactly how we should be going about Christ’s business as His ambassadors and agents on this earth; living as godly and righteously as we can, and always fighting the good fight of faith. So that at the end of our earthly days, we can make positive statements like Bruh Paul did. ‘But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure (death) is at hand. 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. 4:5-8) 

Ah friends, some of those things are not easy to do, like enduring afflictions with a good spirit, but we need to do them if we want to truly represent Christ and all that He stands for. James encourages us in the matter by saying. ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried (has been proved), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him.’ (James 1:12) 

Now both apostles tell us about crowns we’ll receive if we stand strong and steadfast and bear our crosses right down to the very end, and what we need to remember is that our wonderful God never asks us to do stuff that He doesn’t give us the anointing to do. So although things might look difficult, sometimes even impossible, if it’s truly the will of God for our lives, then we will be able to do it. 

And I can talk from personal experience there. Do you think that I’ve been writing this Bit on my own strength for the last sixteen years? Obviously not! And it wasn’t even my idea in the first place, but God’s, and I fought Him about doing it. But as always, if He is serious about something, He will prevail in the end, for He has more machinations than mankind can even dream of. (smile) And though my first attempts were laughable, simple one line verses, with His help and faithfulness I eventually worked up to now, where I’m writing too much. 

And believe me when I say that some days I come to write the Bit and I don’t have a clue as to what to write, but ever so faithfully the Lord will show me something that He thinks I should write on. Now, it’s not always like the snap of my fingers, sometimes I have to work hard for it, checking all sorts of scriptures. At other times I just open the Good Book and a relevant verse jumps out at me. That’s why I can boldly acknowledge the Lord’s faithfulness when He gives you a task. 

And it’s ever so important that whatever He asks us to do, we take it seriously and put out our best effort in accomplishing it. You’ll notice the big job that the Lord gave Bruh Paul to do; take the gospel to the Gentile world, and how he did it with zeal and enthusiasm, though he suffered mightily for it. And it’s obvious he could not have done it all in his own strength, but the Lord, having assigned him the task, made it possible for him to do a brilliant job. 

Now, not many of us will have to suffer like Bruh Paul to accomplish our ministry, but there will be trials and tribulations regardless of how simple it might seem, and that’s when we have to rise up to the task, to stand up strong to whatever temptations or afflictions are blocking our way. We have to do like Peter says in his first epistle. 

‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as (to the extent that) ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached (insulted) for the name of Christ, happy (blessed) are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of (blasphemed), but on your part he is glorified.’ (1 Pet. 4:12-14) Yes, those are indeed tough words to live by, but live by them we must. 

Now here’s a li’l encouragement from Peter earlier on in the epistle. He writes: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.’ (1 Pet. 1:3-5) 

Oh my fellow saints isn’t it wonderful to know that God, through Christ Jesus has bought our sins and replaced them with righteousness and hope, of salvation, as well as an incorruptible inheritance that is laid up for us an heaven! Remember we’re joint heirs with Christ, so whatever He has in heaven we’ll share some of it, like the crowns of life and righteousness that James and Bruh Paul spoke of. So, since we have all the tools, the promises, the faith, the hope and wherewithal to do God’s will, please, let’s get serious and do it nuh, for He is depending on us, His earthly agents to make a positive difference down here on earth. 

Now, for those of us who are intent on doing just that, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus. In 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 remember that if we endure to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s use it as an incentive to endure to the nuh! (smile) Much LOVE!

…living for Christ is not easy…but it’s certainly interesting and worthwhile… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 April 2023 Acts 1:5.

18 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Acts 1:5.For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Ah chuh! It’s a chilly, windy, cloudy Tuesday morning in mid-April! The bout of summer weather we had last week has disappeared just as quickly as it came, and now we’re back to regular spring temps, with much wind and rain. But let’s look at it from a positive angle nuh, we’ve gotten a preview taste of summer, and it looks like it’s going to be fine! Glory be! We’ll take a week of hot weather anytime. The important thing though is that we’ll be joyful with whatever we get, and handle it with aplomb, knowing that the Lord’s presence, His grace and mercy are with us, through His Holy Spirit. 

And that brings us back to our refresher course, Introduction to Holy Spirit 101, that we were doing yesterday. Then, we mentioned two prophecies of the Holy Spirit coming upon men at a later date, which happened when Jesus came and then returned to heaven. We quoted the prophecy from Ezekiel, so let’s see what the one from Jeremiah says. ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts (minds), and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and will remember their sin no more.’ (Jer. 31:31-34) 

And all of that happened when Jesus came and did His thing, then returned to heaven. Glory Hallelujah! Yes friends, that New Covenant was made with Israel and with us Gentiles, so that we could be a part of the salvation story. And the major differences there was that animal sacrifices were no longer required to relieve the sins of the people, because Christ’s death had paid for ALL sins, and then the Holy Spirit, which hitherto had only appeared to or dealt with men on a one by one, every so often basis, is now, as the Lord promised, indwelling each believer, and allowing each one to know Him personally. 

That’s the beauty of this new Comforter or Helper that Jesus prayed the Father to send. And it’s interesting to note that before ascending back to heaven, He told the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, ‘but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of (from) me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ (Acts 1:4-5) 

Now that must have been hard for the disciples to understand, because the Good Book tells us that ‘When they therefore were come together, (at the Mount of Olives) they (the disciples) asked him, saying, Lord, will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times the Father hath put in his own power (authority). But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both from Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:6-8) 

Then Jesus was taken up into the clouds and they saw Him gradually disappear. Not like the other times after His resurrection when He suddenly appeared and then disappeared. This was an intimation that it was final. Although they might not have understood that at the time. But He would not show up to them again until His Second Coming. And like obedient disciples, they went back to Jerusalem to wait for the fateful moment, for the power of the Holy Ghost to fall on, to baptize them. 

And we all know that this happened on the Day of Pentecost, when the whole church, about a hundred and twenty of them were in an upper room, ‘all with one accord (one purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (languages), as the spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:1-4) 

Wow! What an occasion that must have been; a baptism of enormous significance in our Christian faith. That’s because prior to the coming of the Holy Ghost to indwell those first believers on that Pentecost Day, the Holy Spirit’s work had been done from without, (the Spirit came upon), and it was temporary, and only fell for exceptional reasons. However, after that Pentecost Day, the Holy Spirit automatically indwells each and every believer. Once they come to faith, every believer receives the baptism of the Spirit. 

But there’s an important difference we should all note, that’s between the baptism and the filling of the Holy Spirit. The scholars explain that ‘the baptism is permanent, happening once and for all. But the filling is not received by all believers and thus is ongoing, occurring continuously as seen in the present tense imperative of Ephesians 5:18: ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit.’ Yes my brethren we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, that’s allow the Spirit to fill us with God’s own character, life and values, and not allow the devil to fill us with wine, so that we can live a godly not a dissipated life. 

And that concludes our refresher course in the Introduction to Holy Spirit 101! Thanks for coming, but please note that that’s just an introductory course, (smile) now you have to do some studying on your own, first to assimilate all that we’ve spoken of, then reach the point where you can move on to a higher class on the subject. (smile) Now, for those of us truly interested in living for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong 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!’ 

Now let’s get out there and do just that; share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others! Much LOVE!

…don’t be contented with mere baptism of the Holy Spirit…but seek to be continually filled with the Spirit of God…for that’s where the abundant life is at… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 April 2023 John 14:16.

17 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

John 14:16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever;

And Monday has come around quite unexpectedly! (smile) It’s also the start of the first full five day workweek for some of us, since we had Good Friday and Easter Monday off. Hope we still remember how to handle it. And if we don’t, then the Holy Spirit will be only too glad to give us a refresher course. You can always count on the Holy Spirit when you find yourself in a jam. Why? Because that’s His job: to lead and guide us in all our endeavours, keeping us in line with God’s will. And I guess that just naturally leads us in to a short refresher course on the Holy Spirt; who He is and how He operates. (smile) 

Now the first thing we need to know about Holy Spirit is that He is a person, one of the persons that make up our Christian Triumvirate Godhead, or as we call it, the Holy Trinity. And that’s one of the basic, or foundation stones of our Christian Faith, which you certainly need to understand and accept if you want to function successfully as a true believer. And our Godhead consists of three induvial beings, each having different jobs and responsibilities, but it’s still ONLY ONE GOD! 

We don’t have the pantheon of Gods that others have. We have God the Father, who, for argument sake, sets the agenda, then there’s Jesus, the Son, who overseers the agenda, and then there’s Holy Spirit, who I think of as the One that does all the hard work, getting down and dirty in the trenches. (smile) And we see a good example of this right at the beginning of recorded time, the Creation, when the Good Book tells us: ‘In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.’ (Gen. 1:1-2) 

That tells us that the Holy Spirit had a hand in the Creation, just like Jesus did. And how do we know that? John in his gospel spells it out very clearly. ‘In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God, and without him was not anything made that was made.(John 1:1-3) Yes friends, John’s telling us that the Father decreed the idea, and Jesus created whatever needed created for Him. That simply shows that all three persons of our Godhead were around at the Creation. 

Then Jesus came to earth to do His thing, to save man from His iniquity, pay for man’s sins, through His death and resurrection, as the Father desired and required for justice and righteousness to be done. Now, we’re at the season of Christ’s resurrection that we call Easter, and Christ is preparing to go back to heaven to the Father. And what is His masterful and amazing promise to the small band of followers He’s accumulated over the three years of His earthly ministry? 

‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:15-18) That’s how kind and considerate our Jesus is! He knew he was going away so He promised to make provision for His followers to keep in touch with Him. 

And later on He reassures them. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, being present with you. But the Comforter (Helper), which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you.’ (John 14:25-26) Oh friends, how can you ever beat our Jesus for thoughtfulness and compassion eh? You simply can’t! 

The basic problem there was that while Jesus was on earth, He could only physically be in one place at one time, but when He returned to heaven, He could send the Holy Spirit to earth to dwell with and in men to remind them of all that He’s said, and also lead and guide them in all righteousness as prophesied by the prophets Jeremiah under a New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34) and Ezekiel, under a New Heart and Spirit. 

Listen to Ezekiel speaking on God’s behalf. ‘Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you. and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.’ (Ezek. 36:25-27) 

And as always, the Lord is faithful to keep His promises. That’s when we see Jesus promising to send this new spirit, this new Comforter, a Helper to walk alongside and in them, to lead and guide them in what He desires them to do. Now, that’s only and introduction to Holy Spirit 101, (smile) for time and space are against us. So, we will continue this refresher course tomorrow, God spare life obviously. Let’s go now to our heavenly Father in sincere prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, petitioning His divine assistance for the days ahead. 

Altogether: ‘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. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power and wisdom to solve our many problems. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that 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. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land 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 do as we know we ought to nuh, that’s turn from our evil ways and be faithful believers, so that the Lord can bless us and our land. Much LOVE!  

P.S. Please forgive the lateness of the Bit, but as happens with all of us at some time or other, life happened with me today. (smile) Much LOVE!

…if you’re not following the Holy Spirit’s leading…then you’re not following Jesus…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 April 2023   1 Timothy 2:4.

16 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 2:4.Who will have (desires) all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Hurrah! It’s Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter Sunday when our Lord and Saviour rose triumphantly from the dead! Wow! And yuh know what? We’re still celebrating that immortal victory, because it’s Christ’s death on the cross and His magnificent resurrection that gives us the option, the joy and promise of salvation and eternal life! And if you don’t think that is sufficient cause for celebration, then you’re either a die-hard heretic, sick in the brain, a fool, or all three. (smile) 

Anyway, for those of us who believe that Jesus’ sacrificial death and amazing resurrection are justifiable cause to celebrate, let’s open today’s proceedings with an oldie but goodie; appropriately titled ‘At the Cross.’ The lyrics were written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748) somewhere around 1707, and apparently Ralph E.  Hudson (1843-1901) added the chorus in the following century. (smile) But be that as it may, ‘At the Cross’ is still a marvellous tune reflecting the salvation brought to us sinners by Jesus Christ, through the LOVE and machinations of our heavenly Father. 

And if that isn’t cause for much celebration, then I don’t know what is nuh. So, let’s offer up our sacrificial praise with sweet, harmonious voices, in an upbeat tempo version of the song, because it’s a song of joy and freedom, and you can’t sing such tunes in a dirge like manner. And we’ll begin with a rousing rendition of the chorus. Singing: ‘(Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!) ‘Alas! and did my Savior bleed And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head For sinners such as I? 

(Refrain:) Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine— And bathed in its own blood— While the firm mark of wrath divine, His Soul in anguish stood. (Refrain) Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree! (Refrain) Well might the sun in darkness hide And shut his glories in, When Christ, the mighty Maker died, For man the creature’s sin. (Refrain) Thus might I hide my blushing face While His dear cross appears, Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt my eyes to tears. 

(Refrain) But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of love I owe: Here, Lord, I give my self away ’Tis all that I can do. (Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day! Now I am happy all the day…happy all the day…happy all the day…’ 

Yes, my fellow believers, that’s how we ought to be, happy all the day…or rather, joyful all the day, because happiness tends to be tied up with our circumstances, while joy exists even when our circumstances are not so good. And I’m sure we all enjoyed singing that ageless tune, especially the rollicking chorus. Today, we can look back and sigh with sadness and wonder and eternal gratitude at Jesus’ death on the cross at Calvary, but that’s the most important and integral aspect of the whole situation, for without His death and the payment of our sins that that death covered, no resurrection or any celebration would have been possible. 

Oh friends, the cross of Christ is where it all begins and ends! You first have to go there and lay your burdens down before you can go any further along the Christian continuum. And when Christ cried out ‘It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost (His spirit),’ (John 19:30) it meant that His work on earth was done. As He said to the disciples earlier on: ‘For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (to be served), but to minister (to serve), and to give his life for a ransom for many.’ (Mark 10:45) 

And that’s exactly what He did on that old, rugged cross on Good Friday; died for many, gave His sinless life selflessly as a ransom for all who choose to believe in Him. As one commentary says: ‘He has borne the guilt of our sins. He has endured the punishment of our hell. The divine wrath has been spent on him. The justice of God has been satisfied in him.’ And for that selfless sacrifice, we all ought to be eternally grateful. But let’s never forget that it all began with the Father, with His wondrous, unconditional LOVE for His most amazing creation. 

As Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome: ‘For God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) And these words of Bruh Paul to Timothy further enlightens us, as he expounds to the young pastor on the importance of extending prayers, supplications, intercessions and the giving of thanks for all men. 

‘For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have (desires) all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the gentiles in faith and verity (truth).’ (1 Tim. 2:3-7) 

And what does all of that mean? Let’s hear what the scholars have to offer. They say of verses 5-7: ‘These verses provide a threefold evidence confirming the assertation in verse 4 that God “will have all men to be saved”: (1) There being but one God that He must have the same desire toward all people, which is, namely, their salvation. One mediator suggests His Having made the same provision for all people, namely, redemption. (2) Jesus gave himself a ransom for all (vs. 6). (3) Paul’s being divinely ordained … a teacher of the Gentiles (vs. 7) shows that if sinful pagans are instructed in faith and verity (truth), then surely God does indeed want all to be saved.’ 

It’s a closed and shut case friends! God wanted ALL His human creation to be saved, and thus put the wheels in motion, in the fullness of time, that’s in His timing, to have it done. And all I can say is that He gave us free will when He first created us, but we turned to sin instead of to Him. Now, He’s given us another chance, hoping that this time we will wisely use that free will to come back to Him through His august Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Just remember friends, it’s all up to us now. God has done His part; the rest is up to us. Much LOVE!

…God’s given us the choice between life and death…please, I implore us…let’s choose life nuh…for that’s the wise option… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 April 2023   2 Corinthians 12:9a.

15 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 12:9a. And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.

And then it was Saturday, lazy day Saturday! Unfortunately though, I was up and about early this morning doing stuff, and thus did not get to enjoy the lazy aspect of the early half of the morning, so now that I’ve come to write the Bit, I’m tired. (smile) But you know what? I remembered this verse from 2 Corinthians and found the strength to continue. It’s where Bruh Paul asks the Lord three times to remove a ‘thorn from his flesh’ which he seemed to think was given to keep him humble. And the Lord’s answer was simply marvellous. ‘And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a) 

Wow! What an answer! And believe me, it’s the gospel truth. I can testify to it because on numerous occasions when I’ve felt that I just didn’t have the energy to finish a task or go somewhere, or just get up and move around, I’d suddenly find myself renewed with strength and perseverance to continue. And I just knew that it was not my doing, but the Lord’s! I can’t help saying it friends: What a magnificent God we worship! I don’t see how anyone in their right mind, with any knowledge of Him at all, can turn away from Him, because He is always there when we need Him. 

No wonder Bruh Paul says after he got that answer: ‘Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ (2 Cor. 12:9b) And that makes a certain amount of sense. If the Lord will empower you in times of weakness, then why not glory in your weakness so that He can empower you. (smile) And to back his contention, Bruh Paul continues thus: ‘Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.’ (2 Cor. 12:10) 

To the ordinary unbeliever that might not sound like good logic, but if you’re a sincere and faithful believer, it is, because you know that in your weakness, the Lord will make you strong to accomplish His will. And though in our society it’s verboten to boast, or even speak of our weaknesses, in Christ’s kingdom it’s certainly acceptable, because we’re not always strong enough to do whatever we desire to do. And these excerpts from an article by Allison Richmond on the spiritual-life/weekly-devotional website gives us some good insights into the situation. 

She writes: ‘It is counterintuitive to talk about our weaknesses. In fact, we usually try to hide them. Today more than ever, we are held to incredibly high standards of near perfection, causing us to brush our weaknesses under the rug and not let anyone know about our failures or shortcomings. We try to put on a façade of strength, and we can’t hold it up forever. But God is perfect in every way, giving Him the power to make up for any weaknesses we have. And we have a lot. Paul says because of this, he will be even more aware and vocal about his weakness in order that God might come in and support him. 

God’s power perfects our weaknesses, allowing us to do so much more than we could ever do on our own. The strength that God will provide in our weaknesses is much greater than any strength that we could muster on our own. So we should not try and hide or avoid our weaknesses, but rather, embrace them, allowing God to strengthen you in ways you could never have imagined.’ 

And that’s the Christian way! Oh, we really don’t go out and boast of them or flaunt them arrogantly, but we don’t hide them and pretend that we’re superman. That’s why Peter’s words on the subject echo so loudly in our ears, as he talks of us as being partakers of Christ’s sufferings. He says: ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as (to the extent that) ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

If ye be reproached (insulted) for the name of Christ, happy (blessed) are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of (blasphemed), but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busybody (meddler) in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify Christ on this behalf (matter).’ (1 Pet. 4:12-16) 

Yes, my fellow believers, it’s not always fun or easy to be a true Christian, for we will encounter tough times and suffer unnecessarily or falsely, at least in our opinion, but we are expected to bear those sufferings with a modicum of joy (smile) for Christ’s sake. Please remember Christ warned of that very situation. He said:’ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace: In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

Now, again, that’s not always easy to do, but look at all Jesus suffered on our behalf, and He didn’t get through it all on His own nuh, the Father gave Him the strength to do it. In His weakness the Father’s strength and power became perfect. Likewise, when we are undergoing adversity, let’s remember Jesus’ ‘sufferation’ and how he handled it with the Father’s strength, and believe that we can handle ours the same way, if we will call out to the Father in our weakness and times of trouble, and not try to do it in our own strength, because most times we are incapable of doing so. 

And our God is such a smart-aleck, that He just reminded me of such a situation in my life. Sometime aback I was experiencing some mind-numbing cramps in my legs, and I called out to Him for help, and a few minutes later the cramps began to fade away. However, sometime last week, I had cramps again, but this time for some unknown reason I never called out to Him for help, and simply tried handling them in my own strength. And they took a relatively long time to dissipate. 

But yuh know what?  As soon as they did, I got this zeppo from the Lord, reminding me of the earlier situation, and how with His help, it had been solved very quickly. And all I could do was chuckle sadly and say, ‘Yes Lord, you’ve made your point.’ And it both amazed and annoyed me that in my time of need, I hadn’t remembered to call on the Lord for help. 

So friends, it’s very important that in our times of suffering, of weakness, we turn to God for help. We need to make it become a habit, an addiction that comes automatically, otherwise we might end up like I did, suffering unnecessarily. Much LOVE!

…our God possesses abnormal power… and in our frailty…we’d be foolish not to call on Him for help… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 April 2023 Hebrews 13:12.

14 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 13:12.Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify (set apart, make holy) the people with his own blood, suffered without (outside) the gate.

Dear friends, let me apologize for the lateness of the bit right up front. But as you know, the best laid plans of men and mice usually go astray. (smile) I had intended to get up early and do the Bit before going to a mid-morning doctor’s appointment, but obviously that did not happen. Then, you obviously have to wait to see the medic, because they are always running behind schedule. And after seeing him, there were unexpected X rays, followed by the overdue pharmacy visit to pick up medication, not to mention the Friday afternoon traffic in summer-like 25 degrees Celsius weather, this first real hot weekend of the year. But unfortunately, spring temps are expected back by Sunday.

And I know you’ve long since declared (awright!!!) your ‘TGIF’s’ Thank God it’s Friday!’ But since I’ve been gone from around 10.30 to almost 2.p.m, all I can say is, ‘Thank God, I’m back home!’  Now that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! (smile) So let’s get down to brass tacks. Yesterday we spoke about some of the things that Jesus’ death and resurrection did for us; namely redemption, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation and sanctification. We covered the first three and promised to do the other two today, provided the Lord gave us health and strength to do it. And it appears as though He has, so let’s keep the promise. (smile) 

Now, in talking about justification yesterday, that’s been made right with God, through the righteousness of Christ, we touched on the subject of reconciliation, (Rom. 5:10-11) but that was not the scripture I wanted to share on reconciliation, which is basically a reuniting or bringing of two parts or people into agreement. And the scripture I want to share comes from Bruh Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, where he expounds. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are made 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) God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray (implore) you in Christ’s stead (on His behalf), be ye reconciled to God. For he 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. 5:17-21) 

Oh friends, those verses cover a whole lot of ground, but it’s important to realize that it was ALL God’s doing, ALL His wanting to reconnect with His human creation, through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. In other words, as Bruh Paul intimates, the door has been reopened for us to reconnect with God, but it still depends on us to come to Him in reconciliation, through acceptance of His wonderful Son. 

Now, as per sanctification; that simply means, being set apart, being made holy, or in the image of Christ, which is the Lord’s desire for all who follow His Son. One commentary explains it thus: ‘The Bible tells us that sanctification is God’s will for our lives and soul (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ, by purifying our hearts and minds, through repentance, prayer, and spiritual practices. Throughout the Bible, sanctification is mentioned frequently as a calling to align yourself with God’s will and cleanse yourself from sin.’ 

And what are some scriptures on the subject? Listen up. This first one is what we just referenced, 1 Thess. 4:3: ‘For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication (sexual immorality).’ Then there’s this part of Bruh Paul’s explanation of his conversion on the road to Damascus to King Agrippa. Jesus is telling why He has conscripted him as an apostle. ‘Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified (set apart) by faith that is in me.’ (Acts 26:17-18) 

The next scripture comes from 1 Corinthians where Bruh Paul is berating them about being wrong doers. ‘Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that (to) your brethren. Know ye knot that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived…(and he lists some of their iniquitous doings) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified (set apart), but ye are justified (declared righteous (yesss!!!) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.’ (1 Cor. 6: 8-9a, 11) 

And we’ll end with this last scripture from Hebrews that talks about blood sacrifices in the Old Testament in contrast to the New Covenant. ‘For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without (outside) the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify (set apart, make holy) the people with his own blood, suffered without (outside) the gate.’ (Heb. 13:11-12) Yes friends, it’s all about the cleansing of our sins, which the blood of Jesus did once and for all time. No more animal sacrifices. 

And when you receive Him as Lord and Saviour, then you are, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled , justified, set apart, sanctified, made holy, being slowly remade in His image from glory to glory! Now who wouldn’t want such a glorious transformation eh? We all do, without having to pay the price though. (smile) Now it’s time to go to the throne of God, through our Friday Chant, asking for His divine assistance with our earthly problems. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need 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. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to 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. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, 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 if we truly want to see positive answers to our prayer, then we need to make positive changes to our lifestyles. It as simple as that my brethren. Much LOVE!

…we’ve already experienced Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection….all that’s left is…His second coming…this time in glory… 

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

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