Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 August 2021 Matthew 9:37.

17 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 9:37.      Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few: 

Oh my people, may the peace and LOVE of God be with us this cloudy and humid Tuesday morning! Life might be rough, but with the Spirit of God flowing through us we can most definitely handle it without too many problems! That’s one of the many benefits that accrue to us when we sincerely accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of our lives! 

So why don’t more people accept Him eh? I really don’t know nuh! Possibly because He desires His followers to live on the straight and narrow road, while many of us desire to live on the broad and winding road that has no boundaries or serious responsibilities. Who knows? That’s why it is important we pay attention to this scripture that Jesus imparted to His disciples when talking about there being few labourers for the enormous task He had in mind. 

 But first, let’s get the context of the situation. The Good Book relates it thus: After removing a demon from a demon- possessed man, and the people marvelled, saying, ‘It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils (demons) through the prince of the devils (demons -Satan). And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.’ (Matt. 9:32-35) 

Now that’s where we pick up the story. The Good Book tells us of His reaction to the situation He encountered in His travels around the country. ‘But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted (were weary), and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few: Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.’ (Matt. 9:36-38) 

Oh friends, those were certainly true words back then, and with many more people in the world today than in Jesus’ time, there is an even greater need for labourers in His harvest. And the scholars give us this interesting explanation. ‘Fainted means they were distressed. The observation that they were as sheep having no shepherd is taken mainly from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, of Numbers 27:17. Verses 37 and 38 constitute one of the great missionary passages of the New Testament. Jesus pictures the world as a great spiritual harvest in need of labourers to gather it into the storehouse.’ 

And that’s no lie my brethren, for the amount of people who refuse to receive Christ in this modern day and age is truly amazing, despite knowing and seeing all the good and desirous things He has done, is doing, and has promised to do for mankind! And since I can’t help spoon feeding us, (smile) let’s look at that scripture in Numbers from which they say Jesus’ words were partly taken. It’s just before Moses dies, and the Lord calls him up on to mount Abarim, so that he could see the Promised Land, which he would not enter because of his earlier disobedience. 

‘For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify (hallow) me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.’ (Num. 27:14) That’s when Moses disobeyed the Lord’s command. Instead of speaking to the rock, as the Lord told him, in anger at the constantly complaining Israelites, he struck the rock with his rod to produce water. (Num. 20:1-13) And for that weighty disobedience, the Lord punished him by not allowing him to lead the people into the Promised Land. But in His magnanimity, the Lord did bring him up the mountain to show him the Promised Land in the distance. 

And Moses knowing and accepting his fate, ‘spake unto the Lord, saying, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.’ (Num. 27:15-17) 

Ah friends, yuh see the price we pay for sometimes what we consider small disobediences. After all the problems Moses endured while leading the Israelites out of Egypt, he was refused entry into the Promised Land because he smote the rock instead of speaking to it. It produced the same result, water for the people, but it’s ever so important for us to do exactly as the Lord tells us, because He always has a good reason. In this case, I guess He wanted the Israelites to see and experience the power of just His words, having already seen the power of His actions through Moses striking the rock with his rod. 

But whatever the reason, Moses blew it and paid a hefty price. And so too can we, if we don’t pay close attention to what the Lord tells us to do. As we said before, though we might think His instructions can be changed or disregarded, He always has a good reason for them, and we ignore them at our peril. However, after wandering all over, though gleaning good information, (smile) let’s back to our topic, of there being much to harvest, but few labourers to do the work. 

It’s obvious that we do need to pray that the Lord will send forth more of us to do His ever so important work of showing the many needful people in the world, the wisdom of accepting His Son, Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. That brings us to this interesting scripture of Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians, where he calls for prayer. ‘Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course (run free), and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil (the evil one).’ (2 Thess. 3:1-3) 

And that’s our prayer for all of us today; that we be kept safe and sound as we go forward into this evil world to do God’s bidding. And we know that He is indeed a faithful God who will give us all we need to do His will, and won’t allow us to suffer more than we can handle. So there’s no cause for worry. Now let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. 

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 the world. Amen!’ 

And having made that declaration, (steupsss!!!) it now behooves us to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others who don’t know Him, but desperately need Him! Much LOVE!

…a shortage of labourers…causes a lot of the harvest to not be reaped…thus it spoils and dies…unsaved…                                                                                                                        

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2021 Numbers 23:19a.

16 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Numbers 23:19a.     God is not man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: 

These weeks passing too quickly for me yes friends! We are already into the middle of August, and we just finish celebrating the 1st of August long holiday weekend. (smile) That means fall, or autumn is just around the corner. But them’s the breaks, time waits on no one, and we must therefore conclude that this Monday in the middle of August is another excellent opportunity for us to take the bull by the horns, grab the baton and run with it, put into motion, the amazing plan that our wonderful God has designed for us from time everlasting! 

And yes, we have used a lot of clichés back there, but yuh know what, things become clichés because they are either the truth, or help us to understand the truth better. And the greatest truth in this universe is the Word of God found in His holy book, the Bible, our blueprint, our guide, our map for earthly living! So when we read in it, things like: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) 

We know, we are totally assured that we are hearing the honest to goodness truth., because it comes from the Word of our God. Our Creator has good plans for each one of us, plans He created us to fulfill. And you are even further empowered to believe His Word, when it says: ‘God is not man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23:19) 

What a confidence builder that verse is my brethren! Our God has no need to lie, because He is omnipotent, possesses the power and the ability to do whatever He says He is going to do! As Jesus said to His disciples, talking about a camel passing through the eye of a needle: ‘With men, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) And we need to remember that most salient fact my people. Nothing is too big or too small for our God to do! He can do anything and everything! Therefore, there’s no situation He cannot put us into or take us out of. 

But I want to go back to that verse from Numbers about God not lying, because the scholars offer an interesting explanation of it. ‘23:19. The immutability (unchangeability) of God is stated. The word repent is parallel to lie and is coloured in tone by this very association. Here His repenting is related to falsehood. The concept of the truth of Yahweh is related to immutability (His unchanging nature). Since God is truth, He does not lie; in fact, He cannot lie: He is unchanging. God is utterly different from man. Something that comes far too easily for many men is impossible for Almighty God. He cannot lie (cf. Is. 31:2; 51:6,8; Jer. 4:28; Mal. 3:6).’ 

Oh friends, those are some good verses for you to look up, I just did, and they are all interesting, revolving around the Lord’s unchanging nature and the keeping of His word. But I will only spoon feed us the last one from Malachi, (smile) which we all ought to know anyway. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And we better had be thankful for that yes my people, because just like the Lord’s mercy and LOVE are overwhelming, so is His wrath, and you definitely don’t want to feel it. 

And His wrath is not just vengeful anger, but as Romans 2:5-6 says: ‘But after thy hardness (stubborn) and impenitent (unrepentant) heart treasurest up (stores up) unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God (when His righteous judgement will be revealed); Who will render to every man according to his deeds.’ (Rom. 2:5-6) 

So wrath is basically God’s justice for disobedience and thus rounds out His basic attributes of Mercy, LOVE and Justice, or as one commentator asserts: ‘A God who didn’t have wrath towards sin would not be a God of LOVE, because how could a God of LOVE allow sin to go unpunished?’ Good question that my people. And believe me, it will not! However, our ever-LOVING God, has also ‘provided a way of redemption; faith in the atoning blood of his Son.’

Anyway, it’s the start of our work week and many of us have fears, anxieties and concerns, re the state of our lives and our world, weighing heavily on our souls and spirits, so let’s take this opportunity to carry them to the throne of grace in prayer nuh. As one strong, confident but humble voice, let’s declare our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

‘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 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!’ 

And as always, the answer to our prayers depends on keeping our promises and the right motives of our hearts. Much LOVE!

…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…  (Dr. Charles Stanley)                                                                                                                       

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8                   

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 August 2021 Luke 24:29.

15 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Luke 24:29.     But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

And then, once again, it is Sunday; the day we gather to worship our wonderful God, be it in physical or technological togetherness, the important thing being that we are in corporate worship in one form or another on the Lord’s Day. Now, the Lord is anxiously awaiting His praise and thanksgiving, so please let’s not tarry and open with a wonderful hymn written by the Anglican Scottish priest Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) some weeks before he died from tuberculosis. 

Apparently in 1818, ‘he underwent a great spiritual change, which shaped and influenced the whole of his after life, the immediate cause being the illness and death of a brother clergyman. Lyte says of him:- “He died happy under the belief that though he had deeply erred, there was One whose death and sufferings would atone for his delinquencies, and be accepted for all that he had incurred”; and concerning himself he adds:- “I was greatly affected by the whole matter, and brought to look at life and its issue with a different eye than before; and I began to study my Bible, and preach in another manner than I had previously done”.’ 

It seems the dying priest ‘convinced Lyte that both had earlier been mistaken in not having taken the Epistles of St. Paul “in their plain and literal sense.” So, he began to preach ‘following the example of four or five local clergymen whom he had previously laughed at and considered “enthusiastic rhapsodists.’ Ah mih people, life certainly takes us through changes we never expect! And the accumulation of all that led to the writing of the marvellous hymn ‘Abide with Me.’ So let’s sing these powerful, encouraging and uplifting words in all sincerity and truth, in good soulful gospel fashion. (smile) 

‘Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide; When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see— O Thou who changest not, abide with me. I need Thy presence every passing hour; What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r? 

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness; Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if Thou abide with me. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies; Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.’ 

Ah friends, if you have the thoughts expressed in that hymn, filling your hearts and souls, then you can’t go wrong in this life! The author just captures all that Jesus is: He is the light in the darkness; the helper who never leaves, when others do; the help of the helpless; the One that changes not; only through His grace can we foil Satan’s attacks; the guide and fortress of His people. And don’t forget that with faith in Him we fear no foe, troubles don’t bother us, and tears have no bitterness. Therefore the grave and death hold no power over us, for Christ has won the victory! And once He abides in us, and we in Him, life nor death can ever separate us! 

Wow my faithful brethren! The hymn is just a chronicle of the benefits we enjoy when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour! So, who, knowing all that, would still refuse to enthusiastically answer His knock on the door of their hearts eh? Unfortunately, a lot of people foolishly do it. But we are not giving up on them, we will continue to preach His word and live the kind of life that He died for us to have; be good examples of His mercy and compassion. 

And isn’t it interesting to find that the verse of scripture which most likely influenced the title of the hymn is not one where Jesus is inviting someone to abide in or with Him, but rather the two travellers along the road to Emmaus inviting Jesus, not knowing who He was, to abide with them at the end of a day’s journey. The Good Book tells us that along the way: ‘And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he (Jesus) expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.’ (Luke 24:27) And the scholars explain that verse: ‘24:27. The entire Old Testament is indispensable for a grounded grasp of the identity and significance of Jesus.’ 

But getting back to the Good Book: ‘And they drew nigh (near) unto the village, whither they went: and he (Jesus) made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.’ (Luke 24:28-29) It’s interesting to wonder if Jesus would have kept on walking in the darkness of the unsafe Palestine road, if the two disciples had not insisted He tarried with them. 

Although it would not have really mattered, for as Bruh David declares in Psalm 139 – The everlasting presence and power of God. ‘Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee (is not dark to thee); but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.’ (Ps. 139:12) Yes friends, as far as God is concerned, everything is light, there is no darkness whatsoever, so walking in what we consider darkness would have been no problem to Jesus. 

And I want to end by just highlighting two other instances in the Good Book of insistence on tarrying, or abiding. The first is right at the beginning, where two angels visit Lot in Sodom, and ‘with his face bowed to the ground, he said, Behold, now my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night (spend the night) … And they said, Nay, but we will abide in the street (open plaza) all night. And he pressed upon them greatly (urged them); and they turned in unto him, and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.’ (Gen. 19:1-3). 

I guess that instance and Abraham’s in Gen. 18:1-3, caused the author of Hebrews to pen this line: ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ (Heb. 12:2) Yes my brethren, we must always be courteous to strangers, for we know not what importance they might eventually have in our lives. 

And the second instance of insistent tarrying is found in Acts after the woman Lydia is baptized by Bruh Paul. The Good Book tells it thus: ‘And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought (begged) us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.’ (Acts 16:15) 

We can then end with these words of Jesus on the subject of abiding. ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you’ (John 15:7) That means, if my teaching abides in you, and controls your thoughts and movements, guides and inspires you, then your prayers will surely be answered. That goes for us in these modern times also my brethren. Much LOVE!

…abiding is extremely important…especially where Jesus is concerned…                                                                                                                    

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8                  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 August 2021 John 8:12.

14 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

John 8:12.     I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Well, well, well, if it isn’t Saturday! So good to see you. Where have you been so long eh? Seems like it took forever for you to get here! But the important thing is that you’re here now, and we do appreciate your coming. (smile) And there’s also another interesting development, our friend Anselm seems to have risen from wherever he was lost, and we have a full slate of quotes to deal with today. I wonder if I can handle them? Like the lady and the traffic yesterday, It hasn’t taken me long to become disaccustomed to handling them. (smile) But with the Lord’s help, we will put our best foot forward and do a good job of it, in His mighty and holy name. 

So here goes: The first quote says: ‘Whoever is happy will make others happy too.’ Now that’s a no-brainer, because happy people just automatically bring a sense of happiness to whomever they are around. Happiness, as well as sadness, usually rubs off on those around us. If you want to have a predominantly happy crowd, then place a happy person in its midst. 

And the same goes for a depressed and sad looking crowd. There’s nothing that will bring down the level of a joyful crowd quicker than the interjection of a sourpuss in it. So, if we want to spread happiness, then it’s necessary for us to be happy, or at least show ourselves to be happy, since many of us have the ability to show happiness on the outside, while on the inside we’re quite sad. 

Meanwhile, the next quote declares: ‘If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.’ I guess that statement could be very true, but I believe the key word there is ‘ridiculously.’ But in this society of low and ever falling standards it’s very easy for your goals to look ‘ridiculously high.’ Yes friends, very low standards and low set goals are one of the main reasons why our society is going to hell in a hand basket. It’s a proven truth, that societies prosper and flourish when they uphold high standards and goals, but fail when their standards fall, as ours are doing. 

Right now, we are honouring the position of the least we can do and get away with it. Very few of us are setting high and meaningful goals, because they are liable to fail in a society of low expectations, and then we look bad, and consider ourselves failures. And if you don’t believe me, then just go out there and try to find a group of people willing to work hard at a difficult job, over a long period of time, despite the rewards been enormous. We’ve simply become a society that’s looking for easy gratification! 

Then we come to this interesting quote: ‘Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.’ That recalls the old story about giving a person a fish, just feeds them for one meal, but teaching them to fish, gives them a livelihood. And it’s oh so true! I am liable to remember something longer if you teach me about it, than just tell me. But it’s always better to involve those who are being taught, as much as possible in the actual learning process, because hands on experience is ever so valuable. That’s why lab work and such stuff is important in things like physics and chemistry. 

Please note too, that ofttimes when you go for a job, the first question they ask is, have you any experience? You learn more, or better, when you are directly involved with your subject. And a good example of that is reading the Good Book. It’s wonderful to hear sermons from good teachers, but you learn and understand a whole lot more when you check out their stories and teachings for yourself. And that’s just a li’l nudge for us to get into more Bible studying. (smile) 

Now listen to this quote: ‘Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.’ I like that. Why? Because it gets us focusing on planting rather than harvesting. You know in our society we are so impatient we can’t wait for anything to happen; it must be now for now, even yesterday. But the problem is that we will only reap what we sow, so if we want to reap a good harvest, we must make sure that the seed we sow is good and planted in good soil, and that takes time, or patience and energy, two things very lacking in our society. 

We can be like the sower in Jesus’ parable; (Matt. 13:1-9) sow seeds by the wayside that are devoured by the birds, or on stony unfertile ground, where they might shoot up, but because their roots are not deep enough, the hot sun soon kills them. Or we might even sow seeds amongst thistles and thorns, that’s amongst people, who allow the cares and riches of the world to drag them away from the truth of the word. 

What we need is to sow seed on good and fertile soil, then tend it carefully and religiously, so that it can grow to maturity and produce plenty fruit. So we are not to spread our seed helter-skelter, that’s without any thought to where we’re sowing it, but to choose what seems like favourable ground, that would provide an immense harvest if we continually water and nurture it. 

And our last quote says: ‘It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.’ And that’s gospel truth! It’s like people with eye problems, cataracts, glaucoma, etc., where the lenses of their eyes are cloudy and dark. If they want to see, they literally have to concentrate their focus on the place where the little light shines through their darkness. 

So too, in the dark periods of our lives, we need to concentrate our focus on the little light of Jesus that’s flowing through our souls and spirits at that time. For it is only through focusing on the hope and encouragement that we gain from His light, that we can ever come out of that dark period. Please remember Jesus’ promise: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And what kind of light is that? The light of spiritual life! 

As one commentator says: “ “I am the Light of the world” is the second of seven “I AM” declarations of Jesus, recorded only in John’s gospel, that point to His unique divine identity and purpose. In declaring Himself to be the Light of the world, Jesus was claiming that He is the exclusive source of spiritual light. No other source of spiritual truth is available to mankind.” 

Yes friends, we are born into a world of spiritual darkness, of sin and evil, and Jesus is the only source of spiritual light, that keeps us away from leading a sinful, evil life, and thus being eternally separated from Jehovah God, our Maker and Provider. Believe me, being eternally separated from our Triune God is the worst fate that can ever befall a human being! So please take my advice and hook up with Jesus today, and stay hooked up with Him for ever more! That’s wisdom of everlasting proportions! Much LOVE!

…without the bright light of Jesus in our lives…our world is dark and cloudy…sad and lonely…                                                                                                                      

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8                 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 August 2021 Hebrews 13:8.

13 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 13:8.     ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ 

Friday, oh Friday! Is about time yuh reach here yes! Even if you are the supposed bad mind, evil, Friday the thirteenth, ah still glad yuh finally reach, because ah tired. This work scene killing me! Is over a year now I didn’t have to come down in this ugly city five days a week to do this frustrating work. But then a couple weeks ago, mih boss call and said is time to come back down here. Oh mih child, you wouldn’t know how that long drive, twice a day in jam up traffic, wreaking havoc on mih nerves and mih life in general nuh. 

It took me ten years to get accustomed to driving downtown in the traffic every single day. But then it only took me a li’l more than a year to unlearn it. And you can imagine how bad it going to be when we come out of all the covid restrictions, and the traffic really start to hit it the road? It going to be real awful. 

And to make matters worse, when I tell mih boss about how the downtown drive nerve wracking, yuh know what this boldfaced man look me in mih eye and tell me point blank. ‘I’m sorry my dear, if you can’t do the drive, then get a house closer to your work. And have no fear, if you don’t want the job, I have plenty others who are willing to take it for less pay!’ But imagine my crosses nuh! After I done slave for this imbecile man for so long, he have the nerve and bad manners to tell me such a thing!’ 

Yes friends, that’s life! As the old people would say, if life doesn’t get you one way, it will get you another. And that’s the gospel truth! This woman apparently didn’t get sick and had it fairly easy during the big covid lockdown, possibly working from home, so she got quite used to the situation. But then, when life struck, as it takes pleasure in doing, and she had to go back out to work, it was a horse of a different colour. Life does us that all the time friends: set you up one way, only to drag you down in another. 

And it is our responsibility, ofttimes a difficult one, to not allow it to take us to the cleaners. It means we need to find a constant in our lives; something or someone that that doesn’t play terrible games like life does. And believe me people, the ONE and ONLY constant, unchangeable force in this world is the Lord God Almighty; He of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac! Yes friends, wisdom dictates that we tie ourselves, bind ourselves securely to the ONE and ONLY Living God, through His mighty Son, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Lord and Saviour of this lost, sinful and evil world! 

And why is that you ask? Simple! Because He is the ONLY thing or person in this universe that does not change, and He is also trustworthy, therefore He can be depended on to look after our affairs in accordance with His will. And I know you don’t like that last part about accordance with His will, but we need to remember that Jehovah God is the Creator and Ruler of this universe; in other words, He is the BOSS, and like in the story above, what the Boss says, goes. (smile) 

So, now that we have established that most important fact, that God runs things His way, (smile) let’s look at the immutability, the unchanging character of God, and see how it can greatly benefit us. Here are some scriptures from the Good Book, the Lord’s Holy Word, which let us know in no uncertain terms of His forever constant nature. The writer of Hebrews puts it very simply and clearly when He talks of ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb. 13:8) 

But if that’s too simple for you, because mankind tends to think that only complicated things are worthwhile, then let’s consider the more complicated terms of Psalm 102. The psalmist confidently declares: ‘Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure (continue): yes, all of them shall wax (grow) old like a garment; as a vesture (cloak) shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.’ (Ps. 102:25-27) 

Now does that impact you more forcefully? I certainly hope so, because if you do not engage the Lord God Jehovah, through Jesus Christ, as your stronghold and salvation, then you are in for a very rough ride in this life and then eternal separation from the Creator at the end time. But here are some marvellous verses of scripture that you ought to seriously consider. It comes from the prophet Isaiah. 

‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

Now that ought to capture you attention! (smile) But seriously friends, not only does the Lord not change, but He also gives power and strength to the weak and weary. And if you’re still not sure, then listen to this wonderful invitation from Jesus nuh. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28) Now which other supposed god or idol offers that kind of invitation eh? None whatsoever. And even if they did, they could not fulfill it, because it’s only the Living God who has the power to do it! 

And there are many other scriptures we can quote about God’s unchangeability, strength and magnanimous character, but time and space prevent us. So, we hope that what we’ve said will hit home to you, and help you to draw closer to Christ, because that’s where your bread is truly buttered. Now, let’s take our problems to God in prayer, another wonderful facet of being under His everlasting yoke of comfort, safety and rest. 

As one strong and sincere voice, let’s declare our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means 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 both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, please my brethren, let’s remember, that God’s answer totally depends on the example we set…that is of faithful believers. Much LOVE!

…if you are living under Christ’s all-embracing yoke…you don’t have to worry about a thing…just do as He says…and all will be right with your world…                                                                                                                    

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8                

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 August 2021 Psalm 121:2.

12 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 121:2.     My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Then it was Thursday! And though wet and cloudy, it is a brand new day with a whole array of new mercies, compassions, opportunities and our God’s gracious unconditional and everlasting LOVE! Wow mih people! What more can we ask eh? Nothing really! For with Jehovah God, we have everything we need, and will ever need! That’s why His children shout out loud, and grateful: ‘Thank You Father for your wonderful kindness to us, despite our not deserving it. We LOVE You and praise Your holy name! Amen!’ 

And there is nothing our heavenly Father likes more than to hear the thanks and praise of His children. It just warms the cockles of His heart and makes all His stalwart efforts for our care ever so worthwhile. That’s why it is ever so important to keep the Lord God uppermost in our minds, hearts and lives, for He is the source of all that we are. The psalmist hit the nail on the head when he wrote Psalm 121 so many years ago talking of God’s sustaining power. 

Hear him declare: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills (mountains), from whence cometh my help.’ (Ps. 121:1) Now that doesn’t mean his help comes from the mountains, but his problems – the high hills are in his path, they cause him problems of all kinds, both on a normal physical journey, and on his earthly pilgrimage. That’s why he rightly answers: ‘My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.’ (Ps. 121:2) 

And Bruh David happily concurs with that decision at the end of Psalm 124 – Praise for deliverance from enemies. He unequivocally states: ‘Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’ (Ps. 124:8) Yes friends, you can’t get any more definitive that that! So why should we turn to any other source of help than the One which created us and our universe eh? No reason whatsoever! 

The prophet Jeremiah says it best. ‘Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.’ (Jer. 3:23) And not only is God the salvation of Israel, but of all mankind! And until mankind recognizes that and takes it to heart, our world will be fraught with sin, evil and all the many negative things that are currently running rampant through it. 

Now, listen as the psalmist continues his reasons for sticking like white on rice (smile) to the God of his forefathers. ‘He will not suffer thy foot to be moved (to slip): he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.’ (Ps. 121:3-4) That’s security for you, my brethren! The God who created us and still watches over us doesn’t slumber or sleep. He is continually on the lookout for our safety and happiness! How can you beat that eh? You just can’t! 

And another wise man, Cousin Sol tells us the same thing; that when we look to the God of Israel for our help, and abide by His dictates: ‘Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble…For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught).’ (Prov. 3:23, 26) 

And Hannah, the prophet Samuel’s mother, in her song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for granting her a child despite her apparent barrenness, was even more decisive and confident, when she sang: ‘He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn (strength) of his anointed.’ (1 Sam. 2:9-10) 

Now that’s what you call a strong praying woman, a woman of enormous faith in the Lord God of Israel. And so she should be after her sincere prayers for a child was positively answered by her God. But that’s where a lot of us fall down in these modern times. The Lord answers our prayers, maybe not as big or seemingly hard ones like Hannah’s, but He answers them nonetheless, but we don’t give Him the attention, respect and the praise that is His rightful due. We chalk it up to circumstance, chance or some such inept term. (smile) 

I couldn’t find the right word there. But I’m sure you understand what I mean. For there’s nothing that happens in God’s universe that in His omniscience, He’s not aware of, and either allows or jumpstarts. Please understand that He’s aware of even the most minute things or aspects of our lives. Whatever happens in our lives is terribly important to Him. So please let’s stop thinking, and consequently believing, that His hand is not at work in ALL areas of our lives, because that will only mean we keep on deluding ourselves about the greatness and the everlasting care and concern of our wonderful God. 

And to further cement the safety, security and protection inherent in our God, let’s listen to the rest of the psalmist’s confident acknowledgement. ‘The Lord is thy keeper (protector): the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve (protect) thy soul. The Lord shall preserve (protect) thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.’ (Ps. 121:5-8) 

Ah friends, what more can I say about the greatness of our God eh? We all know that He’s omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present and chocked full of unconditional LOVE for His most magnificent creation, mankind. All’s left to talk about now is the many blessings that He so generously bestows on us, so that we can do His earthly work, a list of which can be found in what we call our Thursday Blessings. 

So as one strong and sincere voice, let’s declare them: ‘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 the upshot of all that, is we now need to go out and share those blessings with others, just as generously as He shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…when you walk with God…you walk in peace, safety and LOVE…                                                                                                                    

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8               

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 August 2021 Romans 12:2 a+b.

11 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Romans 12:2 a+b.     And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,

Well, a great Wednesday to you my Scrip-Bits friends and family! I hope the peace and LOVE of Christ is flowing smoothly and sweetly through you this new day, and that you are doing your best to live for Him, as is expected of you. Yes my people, living for Jesus is wonderful, though sometimes difficult. (smile) But He gives us new, strong breath and energy every day to help us along our journey, plus new compassions and mercies so that we are not bowed down. 

That means every day is a new and remarkable event, not a mundane, same old, same old, like so many of us think it to be, and thus behave in a mundane, lackadaisical manner. But every day is a present friends, a wonderful gift from God, and we ought to treat it like such, appreciate it and use it in a manner to bring the utmost glory to His holy name! 

Consequently, we ought to begin the day with words like the psalmist of old did: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And then we go out and do exactly that; make the most of every opportunity that comes our way to live for Him as well as enjoy our lives. Because that’s what He desires of us. Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms that ‘I came that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly.’ (John 10:10b) 

Now that certainly doesn’t mean we should live measly, merely eking out existences, but full and abundant lives with all that He has to offer. But it all begins with a change to our mindsets, because what we think, what we focus on, usually leads to the direction we follow and the actions we commit. So if we want to have different actions, then it’s obvious we need to think differently. 

And Bruh Paul gives us this wonderful advice in his epistle to the church at Rome. ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) Yes friends, we need to stop conforming to the thinking and dictates of this world. 

As the scholars say: We ‘are to resist being poured into the mold of the present thinking, value systems, and conduct of this world.’ And no, it’s not easy to do when the things and values of the world are always in your face, like the bombardment of commercials, infomercials and all the other worldly stuff we have targeted towards us every day. But we can thwart the continual bombardment to our carnal lusts if we seriously want to do it. Here’s how…by seeking God’s will for our lives every day. 

And what’s God’s will for our lives? Listen, as the scholar’s talk about ‘Dedication to the Will of God. ‘12:1-2. God’s will refers to His purpose for the life of the believer. It implies His guidance or direction in all of life’s decisions. Dedication is an act of surrender or submission to His will for our lives whereby we become a “living sacrifice.” Daily dependence on God results in our transformation into the image of Christ. 

Illustration: When we seek to discern the will of God, we must also be committed to doing the will of God as it is revealed in the Word of God (John 7:17). Application: The believer should evaluate every decision on the basis of biblical principles, knowing that obedience brings God’s blessing (First Ref. Gen. 22:12; Primary Ref. Rom. 12:1).’ 

So you see friends, we can beat the world system and it’s sinful and ungodly values, but it takes a lifetime commitment to seeking God’s will for our lives every day that we draw breath on this earth! And I like how the scholars say that ‘Daily dependence on God results in our transformation into the image of Christ.’ Glory Hallelujah my faithful believing brethren! 

Now, you know that’s been God’s plan for us from day one; raising us from glory to glory, transforming us to the image and likeness of Christ, day by day. As Bruh Paul said to the Corinthians. ‘But we all with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed (being transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor. 3:18) 

And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘3:18. Beholding as in a glass: The term ‘beholding’ can have the sense of ‘reflecting.’ The believer himself ‘reflects’ the glory of the Lord just as the face of Moses reflected the glory of the Lord. For Moses, the glory eventually faded away, but under the New Covenant the believer is changed into the same image. This transformation takes place by the abiding presence of the Spirit of God.’ 

And yuh better believe that the Lord will never give up on us! Once we stay connected to Him, continually seeking Him, He will continue to work His glory in us. Bruh Paul puts it thus to the church at Philippi: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) What encouraging words mih bredrin! 

Once God begins our transformation to a Christlike image, through His awesome grace, He will never stop until the day Christ returns! That confers an amazing amount of security on us believers! But on the other hand my people, it’s ever so important that we do our part, that’s keep believing and trusting in Christ Jesus, and putting our best foot forward in doing His awesome will. We all know it’s not an easy lifestyle to maintain, but it sure is wonderful, adventurous and fulfilling when we sincerely try, because that’s the marvellous kind of God we serve! 

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

And what a glorious future that will be, if we stand strong and steadfast and endure to the very end! Much LOVE!

…Jesus is so wonderful…it’s impossible to not LOVE Him…                                                                                                              

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8              

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 August 2021 Ecclesiastes 3:1.

10 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Ecclesiastes 3:1.     To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Summertime, summertime, summertime! Well, at long last, we are getting some serious summer weather! It’s been hot and humid for the last few days, and promises to be the same for the next few! I haven’t turned off my a/c in days now…and the duchess has not complained. Wow! That means it must be really hot…or she’s just showing true LOVE, by considering my feelings more than hers. (smile) Whatever the reason, I do appreciate it since it causes less disagreements. 

That brings me to these awesome words of Cousin Sol, writing as the Preacher. ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:’ (Eccl. 3:1) Yes friends, he’s telling us that Almighty God has a sovereign design behind all events of life. 

This we can see, read and understand from that famous passage of Bruh Paul to the Romans, that we all like to quote but don’t truly believe, or at least act like we truly believe it. The scripture says: ‘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) In the good times, those words fall from our lips like honey, but when the rough times show up, we banish them from our memory. 

But as another wise man, Job said to his wife when calamity befell them: ‘What? shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil (accept calamity)?’ (Job.2:10) Now that’s the dilemma that we believers face: expecting good, but knowing that calamity can and most likely will happen, but nonetheless not blaming God, and believing that He will eventually work everything out for out good in the end. It’s not an easy thing to do, especially in these unprecedented times we are currently experiencing. But here are a couple of scriptures that might possibly help us to bear up under the pressure. 

This first one comes from Bruh Paul to his young protégé Timothy. He reminds him of God, ‘Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.’ (2 Tim. 1:9-10) 

Yes friends, we need to understand that we are not here for our purposes but for God’s, and whatever He allows in our lives has a good reason behind it, whether it’s to test us, or to grow our faith. Remember, our God doesn’t go around willy nilly, without a purpose, like some of us do, but He has a reason for every move He makes. And if we have surrendered our lives to Him, then it is expected that we bear up under any strain that manifests itself in our lives. Remember too, that He never gives us more than we can bear, and with every temptation gives us the wherewithal to face it or get away from it. 

And the next scripture comes from James, Jesus’ brother, as he reminds us of the need for patience in our affliction. He encourages us to ‘Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman (farmer) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient, stablish (establish) your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (draws near.’ (James 5:7-8) 

Oh my people, patience…patience… we need it so badly in these trying and exasperating times. And it’s one fruit of the Spirit that can only be achieved by going through unpleasant stuff. But please don’t allow those unpleasant times to cripple us or get us downhearted and ready to give up. We need to remember all those wonderful promises of the Lord to look forward to if we endure until the end. 

No, it’s not easy working and living for Jesus. Neither Him nor any of His prophets and major workers had it easy. So why do we think we should have it easy eh? Because we live in a world of ease and wonderful amenities? That doesn’t make a difference because the world is still full of evil and sin, and our job is to try and reduce those negative aspects by showing others the wisdom of accepting Jesus by living a life that’s pleasing to Him, and that most definitely includes rolling with the bad times, as well as with the good. 

Ah mih people, our God has provided us with all we need to do His earthly work, so it’s not as if we don’t have the tools or the wherewithal to do it. What we need is to use those tools, use them often, for like everything, practice makes perfect. Look at how we study and work hard to make our way in this earthly life. It’s the same way we need to study and work hard to make our way in the kingdom of God. 

That brings us back to where we began; with the words of Cousin Sol, as he warns that there is, ‘A time to LOVE, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.’ (Eccl. 3:8) Yes, a time for everything does exist. Although I don’t know how to characterize these present times. But please note that the time ‘to hate means to withdraw from intimacy and should not always be taken in an absolute sense.’ And I sincerely hope that these few words (smile) have provided some much-needed encouragement, renewed our strength, and boosted our faith in Almighty God. 

Now let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, telling the whole world who and whose we are. 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 the world. Amen!’ 

And if those words sincerely came from our hearts, then we now need to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with the many others who don’t know Him, but so badly need Him! Much LOVE!

…patience…the virtue that all the others need…to work properly…                                                                                                                 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8             

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2021 Daniel 7:14a.

09 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Daniel 7:14a.     And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom that all people (peoples), nations, and languages, should serve him: 
​

Time to get a move on friends, that important but much disliked day called Monday is here! And why is it important, you sneer? Because it is the first day of the work week, and the first day after our Sunday worship, when our hearts are still bursting with faith and confidence, that we have a chance to share Jesus with a wide body of people, out there in the working world. And sharing Jesus is one of the most important of our duties as Christians, and earthly ambassadors for Jesus. 

Remember some of His last words to the disciples: `All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:18-20) We call those instructions the Great Commission, which means we’ve been entrusted with a big job. 

Hear how the scholars explain it nuh. ‘The triumphant, living Lord sends forth His ambassadors to proclaim His gospel throughout all the world. The Great Commission is not just an order but a pronouncement of victory (mundus regium Christi) by the risen Saviour through His disciples. All power or authority is now in the hands of Christ, in heaven and on the earth. On the basis of that authority and power the Christian disciple is to carry out the Great Commission of the church.’ 

And that’s why we are to be up and about our Father’s business this Monday morning! No slouching, laziness or procrastination, for with each passing minute, the time of Christ’s return is getting shorter, and there’s much to be done before He comes back. Now here is an interesting instance when we can determine the authenticity and magnificence of God’s Word as being all from the same source and is like a single thread woven through a whole blanket. We are talking about one of the visions of the four beasts that the prophet Daniel saw in Babylon, centuries before Jesus came. 

He says: ‘I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom that all people (peoples), nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.’ (Dan. 7:13-14) 

Yes mih bredrin, the Word might have been written by different people, but it is still one cohesive document, because its basic source was the same throughout, the Lord God Jehovah. And thus, we can see how things were prophesied long before they even took place. As the Lord so rightly says about the coming of Christ, through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth, I tell you of them.’ (Is. 42:9) Oh, what a mighty God is our God! 

But turning back to those two verses from Daniel, here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘7:13. The Son of man who came to the Ancient of days is the Son of God approaching God the Father. Evidently, Jesus took the title ‘Son of man,’ which was His favourite way of referring to Himself in the Gospels, from this passage.’ ‘7:14. The commencement of Christ’s everlasting dominion will take place at His second coming (cf. Matt. 24:30; 25:31; Rev. 11:15).’ 

Now hear how Jesus Himself describes the coming of the Son of man, that Second Coming. ‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect (chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’ (Matt. 24:29-31) 

And the scholars tell us: ‘24:29-31. The reference to the events immediately after the tribulation, such as the sun being darkened and the stars falling, refer to the cataclysmic events that will accompany Christ’s millennial kingdom on earth.’ Yes friends, it definitely won’t be a nice time to be without Christ as your Lord and Saviour. And the problem there is that things can get moving at any time. And as Jesus later says: ‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.’ (Matt. 24:36) So we just have to be prepared from now, for whenever that fateful day comes. 

And if we are serious about the whole thing, it means we have to get in God’s good graces asap, and stay in them too. And the best way to begin that process is by going to Him in prayer, the method He devised for communication between Him and us. Let’s therefore offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn which tells the tale of our troubled world. 

All together now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power 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!’ 

And what the Lord’s looking for from us now is sincere repentance and a turning from our evil ways. All our hopes and dreams are now in our hands my people! Much LOVE!

…the Bible is the best-selling book ever, for a reason…it is chocked full of the truth…God’s Word…                                                                                                                  

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8            

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 August 2021 Hebrews 4:16.

08 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

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

Sunday, Sunday, glorious summer Sunday! Another day for coming together to sing and praise and dance before our marvellous God! Now why would we refuse to do that when He’s been so good to us down through the years eh? There’s no reason whatsoever not to come together on a Sunday, the Lord’s Day and worship Him. So let’s do that right now by opening with this wonderful Christian contemporary song of praise written by a group of young people including the singer, Matt Maher, who first made it popular. The song is aptly titled ‘Lord I Need You.’ 

And do we ever! But today we are going to do the version by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, because it’s more lively and uplifting with a full congregation like ours singing. So, in a moderate tempo, in full soulful gospel mode, let’s raise our sacrifice of praise to heaven. ‘Lord I come, I confess Bowing here, I find my rest Without You, I fall apart You’re the one that guides my heart (Chorus) Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You) 

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You are And where You are, Lord I am free Holiness is Christ in me (Chorus) So teach my song to rise to You When temptation comes my way And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on You Jesus, You’re my hope and stay (Chorus. Lord, I need You, oh I need You Every hour, I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You You’re my one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You My one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need You.’ 

Yes my fellow believers, without a doubt, we do need our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And this song brings that need home to us in spades. As one commentator explains: ‘A need is something that is necessary for an organism to live a healthy life. Needs are distinguished from wants in that, in the case of a need, a deficiency causes a clear adverse outcome: a dysfunction or death. In other words, a need is something required for a safe, stable and healthy life (e.g. food, water, shelter) while a want is a desire, wish or aspiration.’ 

And from that definition of a need, we certainly do need Jesus. Just look at the first verse, where we are singing about finding rest in Him, and otherwise falling apart. It takes us right to that magnificent invitation Jesus offered during His sojourn here on earth. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn (of) from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

Oh my brethren, nothing can be better than that invitation to one who is in desperate need of rest, comfort and succour! And this is not a one and done thing, but a continual need. As the website Godtube tells us: ‘This song confesses our need for the Lord every hour as our “one defense, my righteousness.’ Yes people, the Lord is our major point of defense. 

As Bruh David so vividly and confidently notes in Psalm 18 -Thanksgiving for deliverance. ‘I will LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength (rock), in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold). I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (Ps. 18:1-3) And if it’s one thing Bruh David never spoke from is hearsay; he always had personal experience to back him up. So, if he says it’s so, then it is so! (smile) 

And if you don’t believe Bruh David, then let’s turn to the New Testament, where the author of Hebrews encourages believers. ‘For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ (Heb. 4:15) That means Jesus knows all about out earthly problems and can appreciate our hardships, because He also experienced them down here, but was without sin. 

And with that knowledge, the author of Hebrews continues thus: ‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) Please note those last few words friends –‘in time of need.’ Yes, it’s by going to the throne of grace, where Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand advocating on our behalf, that our needs can best be met! Please let’s keep that uppermost in our minds nuh, because it’s for our benefit, not Christ’s. 

And Bruh Paul acknowledges that fact when he wrote to the Ephesians. ‘For through him (Jesus) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.’ (Eph. 2:18-19) So, if you belong to the household of God the Father, where is the best place to go for help in time of need eh? We willingly go to our earthly fathers, who can only help us so much, why not go to our heavenly Father, to whom ALL things are possible. 

And we’ll close with this beautiful testimony regarding our song today. One lady says: ‘God has used this song so much in my life over the past couple months. There are moments when we feel desperate, when we wonder why, we feel alone, we are so joyful, we feel so blessed…or we ask that God would show us what He wants from us and how to live. 

And that’s where these words touch my heart so much… “Lord, I need You, oh I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness, oh God how I need You.” He is ALL that we need. That’s what He wants from us. For us to run to Him, cling to Him and trust Him with everything we’re going through. Whether it’s painful and hard, or joy filled and exciting! We need Him!’ 

And that’s no lie my fellow saints! So please, let’s take our need for Jesus seriously, and make hay while the sun shines nuh. (smile) Much LOVE!

…in need or in want…heaven is the best place to look for help…                                                                                                              

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8           

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