Daily Devotion | SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 July 2021 Psalm 3:3.

08 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: A Lover's Concerto, a supernatural peace, birds serenade the flowers, Christians never give up, comapssionate heart, curse, divine assurance, faith, favour, good health, how gentle is the rain, I will fear no evil, in the name of Jesus, keep on fighting the good fight, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, made this day for us to fall in love, my glory and the lifter up of my head, my peace I give unto you, negative word, neither let it be afraid, not as the world giveth, Peace i leave with you, peace of mind, pilgrim's journey, prosper, see there beyond the hills, some magic from above, spiritual maturity, succeed, that falls softly on the meadow, that have set themselves against me, The Botanical Gardens in Scarborough, the bright colours of the rainbow, the Lord sustained me, the peace of Mother Nature, the Prince of Peace, The Toys, the valley of the shadow of death, there is no help for him in God, thou O Lord art a shield for me, though I walk through, Thursday Blessings, with their melodies, working for Jesus is so wonderful

Psalm 3:3. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of (the one who lifts up) my head.

It’s a wet and cloudy Thursday morning, but for some reason, when I looked outside earlier on, the opening words of the old song, ‘A Lover’s Concerto’ by the Black Female group ‘The Toys’ came to mind. Please sing along with me, if you remember it. (smile) ‘How gentle is the rain, that falls softly on the meadow. Birds, high up in the trees, serenade the flowers with their melodies. See, there beyond the hills, the bright colours of the rainbow. Some magic from above made this day just for us to fall in LOVE!’

Ah friends, most of you are too young to remember that song when it first came out in 1965. However, you can check out several versions on YouTube, including some by later reincarnations of the ‘The Toys.’ Didn’t even know that there were others…and some good ones too. (smile) But I always remember the first time I heard it, sitting in the old bandshell at the top of the Botanical Gardens in my hometown of Scarborough, Tobago, looking down on the harbour in the distance, surrounded by all the lush, beautiful, tropical scenery that was the gardens.

It’s changed up now, but back then ‘the gardens’ as it was popularly known, was a haven for both the eyes and the soul – and lovers too (smile) – a place where one could simply relax and enjoy the simplicity and peace of Mother Nature. Oh, how I miss those slow, carefree days of youth! Now, everything is just hustle and bustle, and it’s difficult to even find a quiet green space that can offer peace of mind. But friends, I know a place, or rather a man, or better yet, a God-man, who can help you to find that peace which you are so desperately seeking. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, the Prince of Peace!

If you turn to Him, and live the way He desires, you will find the utmost peace in whatever situation you might encounter! That His promise. And He doesn’t make or take promises lightly. So you can be assured that whatever He tells you, will come to pass. And if it’s peace of mind you are looking for, then you’ve certainly come to the right place. Listen to Jesus as He offers this assurance. ‘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).

Yes my brethren, the peace of Jesus is a completely different kind of peace to that found in the world! It’s a divine, a supernatural peace! A peace that flows from God, not from man, or any of his doings. A peace that one can find in any kind of situation, be it fraught with fear or danger. Yes, the peace of Jesus gives one the confidence to handle whatever comes against you, although it may be bigger and tougher than you.

And Bruh David puts it so eloquently in Psalm 23. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:4) What greater peace, confidence and assurance can one have than not being afraid, even in the face of death eh? None whatsoever! And that’s why it’s ever so important to come to Jesus, because He is the ONLY One who can offer that kind of assurance! And it’s that divine assurance that kept Bruh David going, despite all the problems he faced.

Listen to how he puts it in Psalm 3, when he fled from his son Absalom, who was trying to usurp his kingdom. ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of (the one who lifts up) my head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept. I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps. 3:2-6)

Oh my people, do we have that kind of confidence in Jesus Christ, that though thousands come against us, we will not be swayed, that we can sleep peacefully in the night? We need to, if we are to stand strong against the enemy and his evil minions. Yuh see, even at one of Bruh David’s lowest points, the rebellion of his son, he still sought and found solace in the Lord his God. That’s the kind of spiritual maturity we need to get us through our pilgrim’s journey here on earth.

And just one more goody here from Bruh David before we close. (smile). In total confidence, he declares: ‘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 a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps. 27:1-3)

Oh my fellow saints in Christ, are we that confident in the Lord our God? Can we stand up and confidently make those statements? I do hope so. Otherwise our faith is not as strong as it ought to be. For it’s only with a strong and mature faith that we can stand steadfast in the knowledge that Christ will enable us to do whatever it takes to defeat the enemy. But unfortunately, that level of faith only comes through experience; through spending much time with Christ – studying His word and talking to Him – then seeing, both in our own lives and those of others, the wonders He can perform, and the strength that He is able to give.

And if you are not yet at that level of faith, many of us are not, please don’t give up hope, just keep on fighting the good fight of faith. Every day you fight, your faith will grow. And believe me, I’m talking from personal experience, the day will come when you will be pleasantly surprised at certain decisions you make, which show your awesome increase in faith. So please keep plugging on, for Christians NEVER GIVE UP!

Now, let’s go home declaring (yeah!!!) our Thursday Blessings, those divine blessings so generously granted to strengthen us for God’s earthly work. Altogether now: ‘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!’

So enough with the talk, (smile) let’s go out and put all those blessings into action nuh… and remember to share them, just as generously as they were granted to us. Much LOVE!

…working for Jesus is so wonderful…but you will never know it…until you do it…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 July 2021 Mark 4:40.

07 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a life mentor, and lo I am with you always, anxiety, but of power love and a sound mind, climate change, doubts, Evelyn Oliver, even unto the end of the world, every Tom Dick and Harry, eyes fixed straight ahead, filled with water, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, halfway home, hands fixed securely on the plough, having a right ole time, he said unto them, heatwave, how is it that ye have no faith, human traits, I'm so glad to be alive, in jeopardy, Jesus as our guide and pilot, Jesus is the answer to everything, LOVE, Master carest not thou that we perish, more fear of the storm than trust in God, more than we can ask or imagine, not turning back, pandemic situation, sinus allergies, temperature vacillation, the breath of life, the ship was covered with the waves, to a glorious future with Jesus, Wednesday Wail, why are ye so fearful

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

Then it was Wednesday, and the heat wave we have had for the past few days, with temps in the thirties, seems to have suddenly disappeared, with the high today expected to be in the low twenties, with rain and cloudy skies. What a contrary summer it’s turning out to be; a few hot days backed by a few cool ones. And the rain and thunderstorms seem to be even more prevalent now than in the springtime. It’s therefore no surprise that my sinus allergies are having a right ole time with the temperature vacillation.

But that’s climate change for you! (smile) However we must learn to weather it like we do everything else. And as with everything else, the best way to weather it is with Jesus as our guide and pilot. There’s no doubt whatsoever that with Jesus leading, we can handle anything, ride out any storm, be it literal or figurative, for He is the man who calms the winds and seas, again, both literally and figuratively.

We find this highlighted in the Good Book, where while He and the disciples were crossing the sea of Galilee a terrible storm arose – ‘insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves’ – ‘and they were filled (filling) with water, and were in jeopardy.’ The first quote there is from Matt. 8:24, and the second from Luke 8:23. So they did seem to be in mortal danger. But where was Jesus during this crucial and critical time eh? Mark tells us: ‘And He was in the hinder part of the ship (the stern) asleep on a pillow:’ Mark 4:38a)

Now imagine that nuh…the boat is being tossed to and fro, taking in water, in danger of sinking, and Jesus is comfortably asleep in the stern. That abnormal situation certainly perturbed the disciples, ‘and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?’ (Mark 4:38b)

Most likely Jesus was upset that they had woken Him from a comfortable sleep, even possibly a sweet dream. ‘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 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 4:39-41)

Now that’s why we are so highly recommending Jesus for the position of Lord and Saviour, Guide and Pilot of our lives! He doesn’t get all anxious and afraid in storms. And if you call out to Him, when you are immersed in them, like we all are at some time or other, He will even take the time and calm those storms for you. That’s how seriously He takes His task as your storm pilot!

Furthermore, once you engage Him as your dedicated mentor and guide, He has promised never to leave nor forsake you, to stay always by your side and help you through everything in this life, be they good or bad! He said it directly to the disciples: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b)

Wow! How good is that for a life mentor eh? Most wonderful, I’d say! (smile) So you see friends, it’s no half-baked tale I’m spinning you, but the story of real people, and a real God-man. ‘The Son of man,’ was Jesus’ favourite terminology when referring to Himself. But coming back to the story of the storm, it shows that though the disciples had seen Jesus do several miracles their faith was still small.

Then, as one commentator, Evelyn Oliver/Christian Disciplines says: ‘This story has a lot of importance for us today. It is incredible to see the peace that Jesus had in this situation and the complete turmoil that the disciples were in. Jesus was at peace and not worried about the storm around them. There was no reason for the disciples to be afraid…. We know that Jesus knew what was going on from the beginning because he reprimanded the disciples for their lack of faith. They did not trust in Jesus and all he could and would do. At that moment, the disciples had more fear of the storm than trust in God.’

And sadly my people, that same situation still exists with us today. In too many cases, we fear the storms that come upon us more than we trust our Lord and Saviour, Guide and Mentor, Jesus. And that’s a crying shame! For if, in the good and calm times, you ask anyone of us so-called believers about trust and faith in Jesus, we would certainly serenade you with a powerful version of our strong faith. But as soon as the storm approaches, when reality hits, that strong faith seems to just disappear into thin air.

And we are seeing that show forth very clearly in this pandemic situation. Instead of doing our part, and then standing strong in faith, knowing that this too must pass eventually, we get all worked up and anxious about stuff we have absolutely no control over. And we listen to every Tom, Dick and Harry, who are spouting so much incorrect stuff, so much disinformation, and thus feeding the devil’s fear mongering machine.

Consequently, in a time when we need to show forth the most faith – which doesn’t mean being foolish like so many of us supposed believers, and refusing to take the few measures within our ability to stop the spread of the virus – our number one response is fear. No wonder the virus is taking much longer to go away.

So friends, in times like these, it’s very important for us to remember the memorable words of Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And God expects us to use those abilities in a sensible manner, which means faithfully turning to Him in the time of storm, with few doubts and little anxiety. Those are human traits that we cannot completely eradicate, but we surely can keep them to a minimum with strong faith in Christ Jesus.

Now, for those of us who are sincerely endeavouring to keep Jesus first place in our lives, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong 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 just in case you don’t remember, or your faith flounders some, (smile) if we endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…how many times do I have to say it eh…Jesus is the answer…Jesus is the answer…Jesus is the answer to EVERYTHING…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 July 2021 Psalm 116:9.

06 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a pit of darkness, awesome generosity, called I upon the name of the Lord, gracious is the Lord and righteous, he has heard my voice and my supplications, heartfelt thanks, hellish times, I am not what people say about me, I am the beloved of god, I am thy servant, I can trust my friend Jesus, I don't have to hurry, I don't have to worry, I found sorrow and trouble, I Love the Lord, I will pay my vows unto the Lord, I will take the cup of salvation, I will walk before the Lord, in god's eyes, in the land of the living, in the presence of all his people, LOVE, mine eyes from tears, my feet from falling, new mercies and compassions, no one can take that from me, our God is merciful, return unto thy rest O my soul, share His love with the world, tempestuous day, the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, the love and peace that flows from Jesus, the pains of hell, the sacrifice of thanksgiving, thou hast delivered my soul from death, thou hast loosed my bonds, Tuesday Mantra, undeserving children of men

Psalm 116:9. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

We moving on friends! It’s Tuesday – a brand new day, with new mercies and compassions! Thank the Lord! So let’s leave all the heartache and anxiety of yesterday behind there nuh, where it so rightfully belongs. Today we must show gratefulness for this new day and the new blessings from our wonderful Creator. And it’s only right that we take a moment now to offer a li’l thanks.

Please pray with me. ‘Dear Lord, you are so awesome, so generous to us undeserving children of men. That’s why we want to give you thanks, and praise your holy name this Tuesday morning, as we embark on our daily journey in this sinful and ungodly world. Only with your amazing help, your awesome generosity will we be able to make it through another tempestuous day down here on earth.

So please accept our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for your mercy and grace, which enable us to make life worthwhile living. And we sincerely promise to continue honouring and praising your name and walking in the path that you have chosen for us to tread. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!’

Ah mih people, I don’t know what we would do without our Lord God Almighty nuh! For certain, life would be an even greater hell than it already is. But, thankfully, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we have the God-given ability to create a heaven-like atmosphere even in the midst of hell! (smile)

And that’s the beauty of Christ Jesus – no matter what hellish times you might be going through, with Him by your side, and His Holy Spirit as your guide, you can always find peace and comfort in them! The surrounding negative circumstances won’t necessarily change, but your heart, your soul and spirit will be lifted with the LOVE and peace that flows from Jesus.

And if you don’t believe me, then please listen to the psalmist as he gives the Lord praise for deliverance from death in Psalm 116. He opens spectacularly: ‘I LOVE the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto (listened to) me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.’ (Ps. 116:1-2)

Yes friends, we must never forget to praise our great God when we come to Him, especially when He has done wonderful things for us, as the psalmist recalls. ‘The sorrows of death compassed (surrounded) me, and the pains (distress) of hell gat (laid) hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.’ (Ps. 116:3-4) Now how many of us have been ofttimes mired in such a pit of darkness eh, and called out to the Lord for help and succour? An uncountable number of us, an uncountable number of times!

And why did we cry out to Him for help eh? Because we knew what the psalmist says: ‘Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped (saved) me.’ (Ps. 116:5-6) Oh my people, my people, right there is all the cause and reason we need to give the Lord our undying thanks, LOVE and praise! For we know that He will help us in times of trouble if we call out to Him with a heavy and sincere heart!

And like the psalmist, we will be able to say: ‘Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.’ (Ps. 116:7-8) And isn’t it marvelous when the Lord lifts us out of our pit of darkness and shows us His bright lights of grace and mercy? For certain sure! Then we thankfully declare: ‘I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: I said in my haste, All men are liars. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?’ (Ps. 116:9-12)

Yes mih bredrin, that is when we have to stand tall and offer up some form of thanks and gratitude for the Lord’s awesome goodness and LOVING-kindness. And we cannot do any better than what the psalmist offered. ‘I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his saints.’ (Ps. 116: 13-15)

Wow! What a promise, and what an acknowledgement! Do we ever think along those lines my fellow saints of Christ? We ought to. The free gift of salvation is from the Lord and we need to tell others about it, about how He helps us in times of need, how He doesn’t’ want to lose any of His awesome creation, and the end result of eternal life with Him in heaven. Our thanks and praise must become our public witness.

Like the psalmist, we need to come to the point where we can say with utter sincerity: ‘O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid (maid servant): thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people. In the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord…shout Hallelujah!’ (Ps. 116:16-19)

Oh friends, nothing less than what we have said above is worthy of God’s unfailing goodness to us! Yes, I know that we can never repay, or even come close to repaying His awesome generosity and mercy, but we do need to go to the utmost lengths that our puny and finite minds and souls will allow. It’s not a joke, but serious business, and we ought to treat it as such. Therefore, to all of us who have firmly embraced the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and are sincerely endeavouring to make known His holy name, let’s go home now, declaring (steups!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry 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 since we’ve promised to keep our vows to God, we are now duty bound to go out and share the awesome LOVE and amazing friendship of Jesus with others. Much LOVE!

…the Lord hath no pleasure in fools…pay that which thou hast vowed… (Eccl. 5:4b)

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 July 2021 Genesis 1:26.

05 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a merciful forgiving gracious God, after our own likeness, breathed into his nostrils, by him all things consist, disobedience to God's Word, foolish pride, forgive us and heal our land, give us wise guidance, God said let us make man in our image, impaired or tarnished image, Jehovah Rapha, LOVE, mass confusion, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, no man can say Him nay, of the dust of the ground, our Father who art in heaven, right motives, sincere prayer, sincere repentance, the breath of life, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the God who heals, the Lord formed the man, the LOVE of money, their individual cause is right and just, unwise mindset, up in arms, we have no need or use for God, willful sin, your humble servants

Genesis 1:26. And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our own likeness…

How goes it this Monday morning friends as sickness, strife, economic anxiety, natural disasters and numerous controversies rage around our world? I don’t know if our world has ever been in such turmoil on so many fronts, at the same time, in basically a time of peace. Everybody seems to be displeased and up in arms about something. And everybody believes that their individual cause is right and just and needs immediate remedial action. Ah Lord eh!

The good Lord must be sitting in His high heaven sadly shaking His head, because He knows that many of our problems could be solved by simply turning back to Him and His righteous and holy ways. Yes friends, plenty of what’s wrong with our world can be directly traced to willful sin and disobedience to God’s Word, stemming from foolish pride and the unwise mindset that we have no need or use for God in our world, or our individual affairs.

How can that ever be true, when God is our Creator and Provider eh? All that we are, and have, emanated or emanates from Him. In the first place God created us. The Good Book tells it thus: ‘And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our own likeness…’ (Gen 1:26) Yes friends, we are a creation of Almighty God! God created us in His own image to boot, which means we have a likeness like unto God. We might not be identical, but we are indeed similar.

And though we have fallen through our sin, we still have an impaired or tarnished image of Him. And how do you think we got life eh? Listen to the Good Book again. ‘And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.’ (Gen. 2:7) Oh my people, it is God’s breath, His ruach, or living spirit in our mortal bodies that gave, and still gives us life. Without it, we would be lifeless. So how can we believe that God is not important in our lives eh?

And here is another unbelievably important aspect of God in our lives. Moses reminded the Israelites of it in these words. ‘Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, and the earth also, with all that therein is.’ (Deut. 10:14) And if you don’t believe Moses, then listen to Bruh Paul. ‘For by him (God) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in (on) earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities (rulers), or powers (authorities): all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by (through) him all things consist (are held together).’ (Col. 1:16-17)

That means that heaven, the earth, and everything in them belong to the Lord, because He created them. And we are only stewards of His possessions down here. Ever wonder why we come into this world with nothing, and also leave it with nothing? As Bruh Paul informed Timothy: ‘For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.’ (1 Tim. 6:7)

And the scholars offer this tidbit of info on that verse. ‘This is a divine means of showing man that since material wealth is relatively insignificant, he should pursue the important things mentioned in verse 11.’ And this is what that says: ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things (the LOVE of money, lust of the flesh); and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith,LOVE, patience, meekness.’ (1 Tim. 6:11)

And speaking about material wealth, please check out this very interesting and important verse of scripture which Moses warned the people of Israel about, a long time ago. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee the power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ (Deut. 8:18) Please consider that my brethren, it was God Himself who gave Israel, and consequently us, the ability to get material wealth and the blessings that He had promised their forefathers.

And right here it would do us a wealth of good (smile) to remember Job’s fateful words. ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ (Job 1:21) Yes friends, the Lord made Job materially wealthy, then He took away that wealth. Then He gave Job even more than he had previously. That ought to show us the power the Lord has over us and all the earth and heaven, and convince us that our best bet is to stick with the one who not only brought us to the dance, but also gave the dance. (smile)

So, having reconsidered our options, and realizing on which side our bread is truly buttered, let’s go to God right now nuh, offering up sincere mea culpas through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. 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 with all prayer, let’s hope that when the Lord searches our hearts, He will find that our motives were right and our prayer sincere. Much LOVE!

…the earth is the Lord’s…and the fullness thereof…no man can say Him nay…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 July 2021 Philippians 2:11.

04 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: Amazing grace, crapaud smoke yuh pipe, futile to run from God, How Sweet the Name of Jesus sounds, I shall not want, Jesus christ is Lord, John Newton, my cup runneth over, our magnificent and magnanimous God, personal experience, that every tongue should confess, The Lord is my shepherd, the name above every name, the power of God's grace, the valley of the shadow of death, to a believer's ear, to sweeten a sour soul -call out to Jesus, to the glory of God the Father, to whom all knees must bow

Philippians 2:11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gather round friends, gather round! It’s time to give thanks and praise to our magnificent and magnanimous God on His special day, Sunday, when He rested from all His labour, having created this wonderful universe and all therein in six days. Bless His holy name my faithful brethren, as we get together to hear His word and offer up songs of praise and worship. And yes, we are still gathering by technological means, although we are now allowed a few more people in the physical church, but it’s still not enough to warrant opening up.

And today, we are going to open the proceedings with a hymn by John Newton. Yes, the same John Newton (1725-1807) who wrote the awesome hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ and several hundred others, after being a slave trader then finding grace and salvation with Almighty God. The website Hymnary.org, offers us this brief insight into Newton’s life. They say he “was born into a Christian home, but his godly mother died when he was seven, and he joined his father at sea when he was eleven.

His licentious and tumultuous sailing life included a flogging for attempted desertion from the Royal Navy and captivity by a slave trader in West Africa. After his escape he himself became the captain of a slave ship. Several factors contributed to Newton’s conversion: a near-drowning in 1748, the piety of his friend Mary Catlett, (whom he married in 1750), and his reading of Thomas à Kempis’ Imitation of Christ.

In 1754 he gave up the slave trade and, in association with William Wilberforce, eventually became an ardent abolitionist. After becoming a tide-surveyor in Liverpool, England, Newton came under the influence of George Whitefield and John and Charles Wesley and began to study for the ministry. He was ordained in the Church of England and served in Olney (1764-1780) and St. Mary Woolnoth, London (1780-1807). His legacy to the Christian church includes his hymns as well as his collaboration with William Cowper (PHH 434) in publishing Olney Hymns (1779), to which Newton contributed 280 hymns, including “Amazing Grace.”

Ah friends, that just goes to show the power of God’s grace. He can take the biggest sinner and turn him into the greatest saint! And although we often try to run from Him, when He’s really ready for us, we don’t stand a chance! (smile) And I can tell you that from personal experience. Yuh see who the Lord put Newton with in his latter years; the abolitionist William Wilberforce. That had Newton plugging to abolish the very same abominable trade in which he was previously involved. And then the Wesley brothers, amongst the founders of the Methodist Church, and finally turning him into a priest and hymn writer.

So my people, let’s wake up and acknowledge that it’s futile to run from God, but ever so wise and sensible to run to His always open and welcoming arms, as we sing this other wonderful song penned by John Newton, another of our church favourites, titled ‘How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.’ And does it ever sound sweet mih bredrin. Therefore, let’s just take a moment and roll it around our tongues nuh, as we quietly and proudly say: ‘Jesus…Jesus.’ (smile) Yes, it’s a name that just trips off the tongue my people!

Now, finally, let’s sing; in a medium tempo, with great gusto and sincerity, let’s raise our harmonious voices to high heaven. ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear! It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.

Dear name! the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place. My never-failing treasury, filled. With boundless stores of grace. O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend. My Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, My Way, my end, toaccept the praise I bring. How weak the effort of my heart, how cold my warmest thought; but when I see you as you are, I’ll praise you as I ought. Till then I would your love proclaim with every fleeting breath; and may the music of your name refresh my soul in death.’

Oh friends, only the amazing and awesome grace of God can cause a human being to write such authentic meaningful and true words! And without a doubt, there’s no other name in the universe that can do or accomplish the things that the name of Jesus can. As Newton so eerily writes: ‘It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole and calms the troubled breast; ’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.’

Wow! Which other name in this universe can do all of that eh friends? None whatsoever! That’s because Jesus is all these other things to us: ‘the rock on which I build, My shield and hiding place, My never-failing treasury, filled, With boundless stores of grace. O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King, my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,’ There again my people, no other person in this whole wide world can fulfill all those aspects of a human’s life. Only JESUS!

Why, you ask? Because He poured out His sinless lifeblood for us on the cross at Calvary, to pay for our sins, showing the wonderful LOVE He bore towards us. And when He rose triumphant from the grave, then He most generously invited us to come to Him for rest and solace, safety, grace and mercy, salvation and eternal life with Him in heaven for all eternity. Now why wouldn’t I jump for joy when I hear that sweet and beautiful name of Jesus eh?

Oh friends, I want to quote some scripture to back up all I’ve said, but time and space will only allow me to do a few. So here goes. Right up front, Jesus lets us know: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) Right away friends, we see that to get eternal life, one must believe in Jesus, otherwise, no dice!
And if you did not get that, then He clears it up even further with these immortal words: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) That sets the stage right there; nothing to do with God is possible without belief in Christ Jesus!

Then we all know how Bruh David characterized Him: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ (Ps. 23:1-6)

That’s simply talking about the perfect shepherd my people! And finally, as to Jesus’ glory, Bruh Paul had this to say: ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth.And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’(Phil. 2:9-11)

What else can I say eh friends? Jesus is the Greatest; El Numero Uno; Number ONE! And if you don’t know that already and sincerely acknowledge it, then please do so as soon as possible, otherwise, crapaud smoke yuh pipe! Much LOVE!
.

..to sweeten a sour soul…just call out…Jesus…Jesus…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 July 2021 Matthew 24:36.

03 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a greedy grab for power, a modicum of circumspection, aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow, basic foundation for right and truth, be ye also ready, but my Father only, but of that day and hour knoweth no man, for in such an hour as ye think not, give wrongdoing a good name, hindsight is 20/20, it only saps today of its joy, keep God first place in our lives, learned to be content in all situations, let not your heart be troubled, like in the days of Noah, my peace I give unto you, neither let it be afraid, not the angels of heaven, O ye of little faith, our friend Anselm, our lazy day, Peace i leave with you, prepared for the coming of Christ, so blind with patriotism, take therefore no thought for tomorrow, teach and make disciples of others, the future belongs to those who prepare for it today, the morrow shall take thought for itself, the peace of Jesus, the Son of man cometh, the tenets of the Good Book, worry is like a rocking chair, worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrw, wrong is wrong, you can't face reality, you can't separate peace from freedom

Matthew 24:36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

So, we have finally arrived at Saturday, our lazy day. But I think we are going to have more celebrations than laziness this long holiday weekend, with Canada Day up here, and the 4^th of July happening in the U.S. And hopefully we won’t see any unnecessary escalation in the Covid-19 sickness count, because contrary to what many of us believe, the pandemic is not over simply because many of us have been vaccinated. We still need to have a modicum of circumspection as to how, and with whom we gather. But as they say, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. (smile)

Let us move on though to our Saturday business, that of checking out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘You’re not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.’ And that’s the living truth my people! But sadly, today, a lot of people are trying to give wrongdoing a good name, trying to turn wrong into right and truth. And unfortunately, if you hear that kind of talk enough, you can often come to believe that wrong is indeed right and truth.

I guess the best example of that right now is the Republican political party in the U. S, who are diligently trying to prove Donald Trump’s lies about the election and His worthless regime are right and true. And they are painting it as patriotism, when it’s nothing but a downright greedy grab for power! So we have to be very careful of whom and what we listen to, using the tenets of the Good Book as our basic foundation for right and truth.

Now, the next quote informs us that ‘Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time.’ And though we prefer not to consider that defeat and heartbreak contain seeds or lessons for future behaviour, the statement is very true. If we look back at all the disappointments in our lives, we can often find things we did wrong, or moments we should have gone in another direction.

That’s because hindsight is twenty-twenty, and we can see the right thing for the prevailing situation, much clearer when we look back at it, than when we are actually going through it. That means, after every disappointment we need to do some dissection, to learn where we went wrong, and thus learn from it for future opportunities.

Then there’s this: ‘Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.’ Now that’s something of which we should all be aware…yet still we worry as though there was no tomorrow. Yes, precious people of God, worry gets us nowhere. It’s like Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say: ‘Worry is like rocking all day in a rocking chair, but at the end you are still the same place, haven’t moved an inch.’ But the best analogy is that of Jesus; where He compares the birds and flowers and nature in general to mankind. They are less important to God than man, but are still able to live a life of joy and beauty through God’s sustenance.

And He reasons: ‘Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith.’ (Matt. 6:30) Oh my fellow saints in Christ, our heavenly Father knows we need food and clothes and shelter and all those things, and will provide them if we do as Christ says: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33)

If we keep God first place in our lives, He will look after us, just like He looks after the birds and the bees and flowers of nature. Consequently, we should be concerned, pay attention to things, but don’t get to the worrying stage. ‘Take therefore no thought for the morrow (don’t worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34)

Yes friends, everyday brings its own problems, but if we worry about what’s going to happen tomorrow, and not concentrate on what is happening today, then we’re doing an injustice to today, we are shortchanging ourselves on the joy that we could possibly have today. And please remember, tomorrow never really comes nuh, because when it shows up, it’s always called today. (smile) So let’s stop with the worrying and concentrate on seeking God first nuh, for that’s the side on which our bread is buttered.

And the next quote is a dandy. (smile) ‘‘You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.’ I don’t know about that nuh. It sounds true, but what kind of peace, and what kind of freedom are we talking about? If we are talking about the peace the world gives us, then we do need freedom of body and mind to enjoy it. However, if we’re talking about the peace that Jesus gives us, then we don’t necessarily need freedom of body to enjoy it.

Here’s why. Jesus said it thus. ‘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 14:33) Oh my people, the peace we get from Jesus is an entirely different kind of peace than what we get from the world. It’s a peace that enables us to go through storms of life and much adversity without worrying and being downtrodden.

Just take Bruh Paul as an example. He suffered so much for the gospel but he was never downtrodden or seriously discouraged, because he had the peace of Christ working in him. Thus, he learned to be contented in whatever state he found himself. And Christ will give us that same kind of wonderful peace, despite our world falling down around us, if we turn to Him and sincerely ask for it.

Now let’s turn to our last quote, another dandy. (smile) ‘The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.’ Now that’s the gospel truth friends! It has always been, and will always be! Those who prepare for the future will always have a better handle on it, than those who don’t. That’s just the way life runs. Whatever you are prepared for, you will handle it better than if you were not prepared for it. And the best, or most pressing example of that in these last days is if we are prepared for the future coming of Christ Jesus?

Yes mih breddren, that’s the question of the day; are we ready, have we received Christ as our Lord and Saviour, been sealed by the Holy Spirit as a child of God, and had our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Now that’s the most important preparation we can ever make for the future, because Jesus is coming back, and when He does, those who have not received Him as Lord and Saviour will be eternally separated from the Living God!

And there is a big reason to get that done as soon as possible, in fact right now, because Jesus can come back at any time, even later today or tomorrow. For, as He said while here on earth. ‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.’ (Matt. 24:36) So you see friends, even Jesus didn’t know when He would return, only the Father has that info. But He did tell us that it would be like in the days of Noah, before the flood, when men were sinfully cavorting about the earth, without any thought to God and godliness. (Matt. 24:37-43) ‘Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt. 24:44)

And I don’t need to tell you that these days are looking exactly like those of Noah, for we are doing our own thing without regard to God or godliness. That means Christ’s return can’t be that far off, and it draws nearer every day, which further means that it’s becoming more important every day, to be prepared for it. So please friends, let’s be wise and make being prepared for Christ’s return our number one priority nuh. And to also tell others about it and help them be prepared too, for that’s a very important part of our duty in Christ’s kingdom…to teach and make disciples of others! Much LOVE!

…if you are not ready…then Jesus will not take you home with Him when He returns…it’s as simple as that…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 July 2021 John 14:1.

02 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: all power is given unto me in heaven and earth, be responsible and stay safe, believe also in me, bring backsliders back to your fold, confusion and havoc of Covid 19, defeat the virus and the unrest, embrace your love and compassion, eternal life, find peace rest and salvation, Friday chant, global village, hath committed all judgement unto the son, he that hears now shall live in the heareafter, I am the way the truth and the life, introduce a whole new flock, Jesus' triumphant resurrection, lax and compromising in morals, let not your heart be troubled, LOVE, mankind can't satisfy our wants and needs, no man cometh unto the Father but by me, only Almighty God can satisfy us, racial strife, salvation, shall not come into condemnation, show them the error of their ways, springing up into eternal life, stand strong and steadfast, the Covid police, The Covid variants now causing havoc, the example your faithful believers set, the fountain of life, the great invitation, the Prince of Peace, the start of the weekend, the water that I give, the water that I shall give shall be a well of water, to handle the situation properly, unexpected storm, wake up and smell the coffee, whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again, wise guidance and direction, ye believe in God

John 14:1. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

And then it was Friday; the start of the weekend! So what are the plans for this holiday weekend with a few of the restrictions lifted this past week? The cottage, dinner at the restaurant, either inside or on the patio, barbeques outside, with a few more people allowed, provided the weather cooperates? Or are you going to get that much needed haircut and perm, or simply beautify your nails, since I believe those personal salons are now open. I saw a cashier in the pharmacy yesterday with one hand painted yellow and the other green! How very lax and compromising we’ve become, especially in morals and fashion.

Oh, our weekend might even include church with a few more congregants, but still the mask and physical distancing. Ah Lord eh! There are endless possibilities! (smile) But please check out the necessary regulations and precautions before you venture forth. You don’t want to get caught by the Covid police infringing any rules and regulations.

Now, two years ago, who would have thought that our lives, our world, could ever become such a battleground of sickness, restrictions and immense suffering eh? Nobody! But that just goes to show how fragile and easily compromised our new global village is. It only takes one person in the right place, at the right time, with the right illness to shut it down. And though we have so much technology and modern medicine, there are still simple things that we can’t handle. Look at this Covid-19 business nuh. Although we developed a vaccine for it in record time, it has mutated itself in several different ways from the original, and it’s now those variants that are causing havoc in our world.

That’s why friends, we need something more substantial to hold on to, to put our trust in, because mankind obviously can’t satisfy all our wants and needs. And the ONLY person who can do that is Almighty God, through the august personage of his Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! He is the ONLY One who can truthfully offer us that Great Invitation, to come to Him and find rest and peace for both our bodies and our souls! He can do that since He is the Prince of Peace, who has conquered the world and brought salvation to the masses.

Please remember these most potent and encouraging words He spoke while here on earth. ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.’ (John 14:1) And in your doubt, you sarcastically ask why? Well because, as He says later on. ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) Now that’s a very powerful statement for anyone to make, and as far as I know, NO ONE has ever made it but Jesus! That just goes to show the power and confidence that He possesses.

And I guess you are wondering if He can back up that statement? Oh yes, He can! Just look at all the miraculous stuff He did down here on earth. He was even crucified for us, so that our sins could be paid for, for ever and all time. Now who else could do that eh? And in His triumphant resurrection from the dead, He defeated all the evil forces of the enemy, also granting us resurrection, salvation and eternal life, if we believed in Him.

He is the fountain of life my people! As he said to the Samaritan woman at the well. ‘Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well (fountain) of water springing up into everlasting life.’ (John 4:13-14) And though the woman did not really understand what Jesus was talking about, she intuitively recognized that He had something good to offer and asked for it.

However, so many of us today, who know what Jesus has to offer, still blatantly refuse to accept that magnificent offer. How foolish that is my brethren! Listen again, to how Jesus tried to drive home to His accusers the importance of believing in Him. ‘For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth (gives life to) them; even so the Son quickeneth (gives life to) whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father, which hath sent him.

Verily, verily, (truly, truly) I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement), but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man.’ (John 5:24)

Yes friends, because of Jesus’ supreme sacrifice and obedience to the Father’s will – that’s His substitutionary death on our behalf, on the cross at Calvary – He has given Him authority over everything in the universe – the name above every other name and the One to whom all knees must bow! As Jesus confirms to His disciples before His ascension: ‘All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.’ (Matt. 28:18) So my people, please realize that Jesus is the supreme ruler over the universe, and only in and through Him can we find peace, rest and salvation for our weary and troubled souls and bodies.

Therefore, with that in mind, let’s go to Him in prayer, right now nuh, through our Friday Chant, asking for His divine help in our troubled earthly affairs. As one sincere voice: ‘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 the racial strife is 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!’

And if we want to receive positive answers to our prayer, then we have to go out and truly be examples of faithful believers. Much LOVE!

…he that hears now…shall live in the hereafter…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 July 2021 1 Thessalonians 6:17.

01 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a modicum of reservation, because you pray so little, burial sites of indigenous children, compassionate heart, curse, departed into a solitary place, dissatisfied, full of dread and anxiety, Happy Canada Day, in a Christian's tool kit, intolerant of the needs of others, lamentably weak, lose the sense of God's shining presence, LOVE, marred the celebratory attitude, negative word, One Year Book of Bible promises, perilously susceptible to temptation, pray without ceasing, prayer; the ultimate means of communication, praying always, protest so violently, restless, Ruth Harms Calkin, self-control, success, supernatural strength, temper the harshness, terrible atrocities, the calm in the storm, the most important tool, the reason, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, there he prayed, Thursday Blessings, undisciplined, unpleasant skeletons hidden in its closet, watch and pray, wisdom and common sense

1 Thessalonians 6:17. Pray without ceasing.

It’s Thursday…the first day of July! That means it’s Canada Day! Our Independence Day! And celebrations are in order. Unfortunately though, the problems of the pandemic and racial problems, plus the recent discoveries of several unmarked, unknown burial sites of Indigenous children has marred the celebratory attitude. Many are calling for a boycott of the celebrations, but that won’t change the past, and we all know that every country in the world has some very unpleasant skeletons from terrible atrocities hidden in its closet, that’s just the nature of nation building followed by mankind down through the ages.

Canada is still one of the best countries in the world, and if we try to tear down all the other good things we’ve built, there will be no going forward, just backward. We need to temper the harshness with some wisdom and common sense, using education and reconciliation and truth to handle this unpleasant news.

So, despite the heaviness that’s currently sitting on the conscience of our country, I’m wishing us a Happy Canada Day! Celebrate with a modicum of reservation, appreciating the hurt that many others are experiencing today. Right now, our world is such an angry and negative place with so little positivity and compassion that we don’t need any more to drag it further down into the mire. And while looking through our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, I came upon this poem which I believe typifies our lives, and thus the current state of our world. It’s rather appropriately titled ‘The Reason.’

Please pray with me. ‘God, why am I so often defeated? Why am I so full of dread and anxiety? Why am I so lamentably weak – So perilously susceptible to temptation? Why am I often inhospitable So intolerant of the needs of others? Why am I so undisciplined So restless and dissatisfied? Why do I protest so violently? Above all. God Why do I so frequently lose The sense of Your shining Presence? God, why? Why? — Because you pray so little.’

And isn’t that an awesomely accurate portrait of so many of us, and consequently our world in these trying times, in these last days? It certainly is! There is indeed much more negativity than LOVE and compassion! The prince of darkness has our world in the palm of His hand and is trying to squeeze the very life blood out of it. And one of the reasons why that’s possible is because we supposed believers in Jesus Christ don’t pray enough, therefore we are not divinely inspired enough to get up and fight, to beat back the enemy.

So what’s the answer eh? Obviously, we have to begin by praying more, by sincerely seeking Jesus more, giving Him a bigger space and place in our lives than we’re currently doing. Remember, He’s the answer to ALL our prayers, the calm in the storm, our refuge and fortress, and all those other good things! But if we don’t communicate with him, pray and acknowledge His power and presence, we won’t be able to handle the enemy who’s so intent on coming against us. And the Bible verse that’s used as the promise for our poem are the simple but very powerful words of Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians. ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17)

It could not be any simpler or clearer than that my fellow saints in Christ! Prayer is the ultimate means of communication with our heavenly Father, and just as we don’t get much from our earthly fathers if we don’t talk or communicate with them, likewise, lack of communication with God, does little or nothing for us. Bruh Paul said it thus to the Ephesians, when he told them about putting on the armour of God to fight the enemy. ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph. 6:18)

Yes friends, even with God’s powerful armour encasing our souls, prayer is still necessary to make it all work. And if you still don’t believe that prayer is absolutely necessary, then listen to these words of Jesus as He rebukes His inner circle in the Garden of Gethsemane when He, Himself went to pray at the most anguished time of His earthly life, the night before His crucifixion. They were supposed to be watching with him, but had fallen asleep. ‘He saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ (Matt. 26: 40-41)

And we know that’s the gospel truth friends! Our flesh is by nature weak and sinful, so we need the power of the Spirit, the grace of God to be truly strong. Now one last word from Jesus on the subject of prayer. Luke opens chapter 18 with these telling words. ‘And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) He could not be more definitive than that my brethren! And we all know that prayer was Jesus’ most powerful passion. As Mark immortalizes it in his gospel. ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)

So friends, if the Son of God found it necessary to pray often, to have close communication with His heavenly Father, why would we, mere mortals, finite creations, not have the same expectation and desire eh? I’ll leave that question for each of us to answer in our own way and time. (smile) In the meanwhile, for those of us who are sincerely trying to make a difference, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!) our Thursday Blessings, that the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work.

Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!

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

Now it’s time for us to go out and share those blessings just as generously with those we meet on our earthly journey. Much LOVE!

…prayer…the most important tool…in a Christian’s tool kit…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 June 2021 Psalm 119:34.

30 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a believer in Christ Jesus, a wide range of revelation, being confident of this very thing, conform to God's heavenly standard on earth, for therein I do delight, give me understanding, halfway home, he which hath begun a good work, I shall keep it unto the end, I shall keep thy law, I shall observe it with all my heart, I'm so glad to be alive, in a positive and godly manner, in the path of thy commandments, Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies, leave all the consequences to Him, make me to go, moving on, my eyes are fixed straight ahead, my hands on the plough, not looking back, obey God, oodles of promisesto help you feel better, our entrance exams for heaven, our road map to earthly living, permanent and unchangeable regulations, quicken me in thy righteousness, reap a bushel of blessings, stablish thy word unto thy servant, teach me O Lord, thank God, the breath of life, the entire gamut of human response to God's Word, the joy of the Lord is our strength, the storms of life, the way of thy statutes, the Word of god, thy judgements are good, to a glorious future with Jesus, turn away my reproach which I fear, turn mine eyes away from beholding vanity, uproarious love for God's word, Wednesday Wail, will perform it until the day of Jesus

Psalm 119:34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with all my heart.

Well, it looks like a new day, Wednesday to be exact. So I guess that means we’re moving on, hopefully in a positive and godly manner, for those are the only ways we will ever be truly successful! And if we’re being godly, then we most certainly will give, or will have given thanks for the wonderful blessing of being able to see another glorious day on God’s great earth, only rivalled by the exotic pleasures of heaven.

Ah mih people, if we’re down here now, we might as well enjoy it, since being miserable and unhappy won’t solve matters. And furthermore, if you’re a believer in Christ Jesus, then you have oodles of promises to help you feel better in the many storms of life and handle them in a positive manner, with your Lord and Saviour at the helm of your tossed and battered ship. Remember the joy of the Lord is our strength, and once we have Him bubbling up in us, we can handle anything that comes against us.

And if we’re finding it difficult to handle our current circumstances then listen to these words of comfort from Psalm 119, the section titled – ‘Give me understanding.’ Please pray with me: ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with all my heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Incline my heart unto (cause me to long for) thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity (looking at worthless things); and quicken (revive) thou me in thy way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear (to fearing thee). Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgements are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken (revive) me in thy righteousness.’ (Ps. 119:33-40)

Yes friends, therein lies a path of prayer to understanding. (smile) Now, here are some explanations from the scholars on the meaning of some of the terminology found in the psalm. ‘The multifaceted character of God’s Word is revealed by at least eight key synonyms for it in the psalm. (1) Law (torah) is the most frequent of the words. It comes from a verb meaning “to teach,” and thus came to be applied to a wide range of revelation, from an individual directive to the entire Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). It emphasizes that God has taught us in His Word what He requires of us.

(2) Testimonies (‘edot) emphasizes the content of the Word as that which God has testified of Himself and His will. (3) Precepts (piquidim) refers to instructions from a superior regarding the duties of those under him, in this case, from God to man. (4) Statutes (huqim) is related to a verb meaning “to engrave” and thus implies permanent and unchangeable regulations. (5) Commandments (mitswot) is a word assuming the authority of the commander and the inherent necessity of obeying the content of the charge.

(6) Judgements (mispatim) or ordinances refers to decisions God has made as a judge in order to make earthly behaviour conform to His heavenly standard. (7) Word (dabar) is an all-embracing term for God’s revelation in any form. (8) Word (imra) might also be translated “promise,” though the translation does not distinguish it from the preceding term to whose meaning it relates closely. It comes from the verb “to say” and assumes that the content of revelations is from the mouth of God. Other terms that seem to speak of God’s Word include ways (vs. 3, 37), name (vs. 55), and faithfulness (vs. 90).

With these key words to express the substance of God’s revelation, the psalmist explores the entire gamut of human response to the Word of God: praise and thanksgiving for it, petitions that it may be kept, petitions that the psalmist may experience its comfort or conviction, confidence that its promises will be fulfilled, prayer for the ability to understand it, petitions that those who disregard it (the wicked) may be judged and so on. Because of this exaltation of the Word of God, this psalmist has sometimes been accused of worshiping the Word itself. However, his adoration of the Word always leads to its Author who inspired it. All believers should be accused of this kind of LOVE for the Bible.’

What a day that would be eh my people, when we are accused of such an uproarious LOVE for God’s word! Glory Hallelujah! But seriously though, that’s the direction in which our lives ought to be moving every day that we draw breath; a greater LOVE for God and His Word! That’s why we talk about moving up from glory to glory; everyday improving our understanding of the Word and becoming a li’l more like Jesus character wise.

Oh friends, if we’re not growing, becoming more mature in our faith, then we are not fulfilling the Lord’s desire for our lives. Remember Bruh Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving to the church at Philippi, where he declares: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath began a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil 1:6)

Yes my faithful brethren, our God will not stop working His goodness in us until His Son returns. That means we also have a responsibility to learn what He desires of us and behave the way He has set out in His Word. We have no excuses whatsoever, for He has laid out exactly what He desires in His Law. His testimonies are sure and true. In His superior position, He has made clear His precepts, the duties He expects us to perform and live up to.

And because His Word is so important to our earthly lives, He expects His statutes, steadfast and unchangeable as they are, to be engraved in and on our hearts, so that we can dutifully obey His commandments as our Guide and Leader. And if we don’t conform to His heavenly standard here on earth, then we will be subjected to His divine judgement, which can be pretty tough at times.

So friends, the long and short of the story is that we are God’s creation, and He desires us to be obedient to Him and His dictates, otherwise there will be a price to pay. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say: ‘The best way to live is to obey God, and leave all the consequences up to Him.’ And that’s wisdom in spades friends. If we obey God to the best of our ability, we will reap a bushel of blessings.

And now, since it’s Wednesday, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus! As one strong, sincere and confident 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 we all know that if we faithfully endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious that we can ask or even imagine. Much LOVE!

…the Word of God…our guide, our road map to earthly living…our entrance exams for heaven…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 June 2021 John 3:17.

29 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a son of Abraham, a substitutionary death, a two-edged sword in His mouth, but have everlasting life, but that the world through him might be saved, eternal life, faithful, for God so loved the world, give me Jesus, God sent not his son into the world, he gave his only begotten son, hell death and the grave, hot summer days, hurry, I am the beloved of god, in god's eyes, Jesus is all we need, Jesus is the answer to all my prayers, King of Kings, LOVE, our good shepherd, our shelter in the storm, reliable, Satan's kingdom, share His love with the world, should not perish, steadfast, tanning time, thank God, that which was lost, that whosoever believes in him, the Lord of lords, the Son of man is come to save, the straight and narrow path, the weather has been topsy-turvy, this day is salvation come to this house, to condemn the world, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unchangeable, we cannot save ourselves, we have a Lord and Saviour Jesus Christviour Jesus, worry

John 3:17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

And a good Tuesday morning, or afternoon, (smile) to you my Scrip-Bits friends and family! Well, it seems like we’re having a couple of hot summer days in a row, with temps in the high twenties, even the low thirties! Wow! Now isn’t that wonderful! It’s tanning time in the northern climes! Saw one fella out the street just now in shorts and no top, barebacked, trying to assimilate some rays. Hope he has on sunscreen though, because that sun can sure be powerful and deadly at times!

All the air conditioners are running in the area. But who knows how long that will last eh? The weather has been so topsy-turvy recently, that the temperature can go right back down tomorrow. But thank God we have a Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is not topsy-turvy, but steady, steadfast, reliable, faithful and unchangeable! Bless His holy name my people! That’s why the song declares: ‘Give me Jesus, because that’s all I need!’ And isn’t that the living truth! Jesus is all we ever and will ever need, both in this world and in the next!

And why is that you ask? Because He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings! The warrior General with a two-edged sword in His mouth; that means He can create and destroy with His powerful words! The One who fought the enemy, that foolish fellow called Satan, fought Him tooth and nail, mano-a-mano, and took away the keys to Satan’s kingdom, hell, death and the grave, by His death on the cross at Calvary and His triumphant resurrection three days later!

Now, Satan is a toothless enemy, a dog with plenty bark, but no bite, unless we give him the opportunity to get a toehold in our lives. And on top of all that, Jesus is our refuge, our fortress, our good shepherd, our comforter, the answer to our every need, our strength and joy. No wonder so many of us are calling out for Jesus, we bow down and worship Him, because He’s our shelter in the storm, our guide and co-pilot, who never leads us wrong.

However, the path that He chooses to lead us along is not an easy one; it’s straight and narrow, with many pitfalls along the way, but with His unerring guidance, we can be certain to make it to the very end of that straight and narrow road, where an eternal rest called heaven and eternal life awaits those whose who sincerely believe in and follow him! Glory be mih brethren!

Oh my people, how can we ever go wrong when we faithfully desire the person whose name is above every other name eh, and to whom all the world will eventually bow to and worship? No way friends! That’s why, in birth, life and death, Jesus is all we need! And Jesus Himself said so on several occasions. Let’s look at a couple nuh. First and foremost are His immortal words to Nicodemus, who, under the cover of night, came seeking wisdom and understanding.

‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:16-17)

What a remarkable and momentous pronouncement my fellow believers! It’s the basic reason for all that He’s done! This sinful world of ours needed saving, and that’s what Jesus came to do. He came to show the great LOVE of the Father towards His human creation. And as Bruh Paul so rightly said to the church art Rome: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Yes friends, Christ died a substitutionary death for us, meaning he died in our stead, that because He died, we don’t have to die. Now how thankful should we be for that largesse eh? Very, very thankful, I would think!

Then listen to Jesus as He rebukes His disciples when they wanted to call down fire and brimstone on a Samaritan village that refused to make Him welcome. ‘Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ (Luke 9:55-56) There again friends, in His own words, Jesus proclaims that He is our Saviour, not our destroyer, like the evil enemy and his evil cohorts try to make us believe, because His way is not as broad and destructive as theirs.

And when Jesus talks about the parable of the lost sheep, He once more reiterates His basic purpose: ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.’ (Matt. 18:11) And we see it even more forcefully, when Jesus ate at the house of Zaccheus, the tax collector, who afterward repented and promised to restore fourfold to anyone whom he had wronged. Jesus said to him. ‘This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:9-10)

And as the scholars explain: ‘19:10. The words seek, save, and lost all appear elsewhere in Scripture in a shepherd context. This verse may be taken as a kernel statement of the central theme of Luke: Jesus is the compassionate, searching Herdsman who seeks to save those who can by no means save themselves.’ Now, right there in a nutshell is our major problem friends; we cannot save ourselves, that’s why we needed someone like Jesus to save us!

And believe me, He was, and is, and will forever be, the ONLY ONE who’s capable of saving us from the abominable sinful condition we were in, and still are in. That’s because our salvation needed a sinless soul to pay for those abominable sins of ours, and Jesus was the ONLY sinless soul beside the Father in existence. And that’s why He’s the Greatest, the ONE and ONLY Superstar in the universe! All else is folly and foolishness!

So friends, I do hope that these few words (smile) I’ve penned this morning will bring you to a knowledge of Jesus, and activate you to find out more about Him, then accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. And if you have already done that, then hopefully, these words will draw you even closer to Him. Now for those of us who are serious about Jesus, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know who and whose we are.

So 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 we are sincere, then, as good representatives, we’ll go out now and spread, generously share that amazing friendship and awesome LOVE of Jesus with those we meet. Much LOVE!

…all I need is Jesus… He is the answer to ALL my prayers…today, tomorrow, and through eternity…

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

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 July 2021 Psalm 3:3.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 July 2021 Mark 4:40.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 July 2021 Genesis 1:26.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 July 2021 Philippians 2:11.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 July 2021 Matthew 24:36.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 July 2021 John 14:1.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 July 2021 1 Thessalonians 6:17.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 June 2021 Psalm 119:34.

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