Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 May 2024 Ephesians 4:30.

18 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 4:30.       And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Well, it’s a somewhat cloudy but warm lazy-day Saturday, on this first long weekend of the summer. And it’s a holiday in honour of the powerful Queen Victoria, who in her long reign (1837-1901) saw Britain through its ‘great age of industrial expansion, economic progress and, especially, empire building. At her death, it was said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set.’ And although comparatively few people know of her, or why there’s a holiday named in her honour, I can guarantee that many of us will be aggressively celebrating her holiday this weekend. (smile) 

But before we get to the celebrations, let’s show a li’l wisdom, a modicum of circumspection if you will,, and offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer to help quiet and refresh our tired souls. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, if our prayer was sincere, we know that we will receive our requests, because our wonderful God never turns down those kinds of requests. Yes friends, whenever we ask God for more of Himself, for greater intimacy with Him, He’s only too glad to give it to us, because it’s what He created us for; constant communication and intimacy. And it saddens His heart, grieves the Holy Spirit when we turn away from that communication and intimacy. Remember Bruh Paul’s words on the subject to the Ephesians? ‘And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.’ ((Eph. 4:30) 

Now we do that quite easily when we allow the devil to get into our hearts and minds and cause us to do things we know are wrong. That’s why Bruh Paul, in speaking about putting on the new man, was giving the Ephesians practical steps to avoid that kind of behaviour. And I like how this commentary explains it in simple, practical everyday terms. ‘When we, deliberately or inadvertently, behave in a way that is inimical to our spiritual improvement it grieves the Holy Spirit; in the same way that a LOVING parent is grieved when his or her child behaves in a self-destructive manner.’ 

Yes, it’s the same way our heavenly Father is saddened when we stray from His will and word. And I guess while we’re here, we might as well check out those practical applications that Bruh Paul talks about in the putting on of that new man. Just to remind us of some inappropriate behaviour on this long weekend. (smile) So He writes: ‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members of one another. 

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:22-32) 

Now there’s very good practical advice for living the Christian life, and thus not grieving the Holy Spirit. But it’s not always easy to do, especially when faced with all the temptations and trials of this evil and ungodly world. That’s why we need to remind ourselves of them every so often. And if you find it all a bit much to comprehend, (smile) then the scholars have broken it down very nicely for us. They say: ‘This section gives practical guidelines as to how “the old man” (vs. 22) can be laid aside and how the “new man” (vs. 24) can be assumed in daily living. 

The passage specifies five sins to be discarded, the virtues that are to replace them, and the motive for such exchange: (1) Lying is to be replaced by truth-telling, since Christians are fellow members (vs.25). (2)Sinful anger is to be replaced by (briefly held) righteous indignation, that the Devil may not be given an opportunity (vs. 26-27). (3) Theft is to be replaced by honest work, in order that one may have the means to meet the needs of others (vs.28). (4) Foul language is to be replaced by gracious speech, that it may edify others and not grieve the Spirit (vs. 29-30). (5) Resentment and wrath are to give way to kindness and forgiveness, since God has forgiven us (vs. 31-32). 

So there we have it friends, both in the very words of Bruh Paul, and in the simplified explanations of the scholars. (smile) That means we have no excuses for not putting those practical suggestions into action in our own lives. And why won’t we do it eh? We all know that it most definitely makes for a better life, but because the greed and envy, the jealousy and selfishness innate in our spirits, with the encouragement of the world system, too many of us still insist on living like the “old man”, refusing to put on the new one that characterizes Christ and His true followers. 

Ah friends, we’re only hurting ourselves and those we LOVE, for our beliefs and actions don’t only reverberate or boomerang back on us, but also on those around us. So please, let’s wake up and see the light nuh, smell the sweet perfume of the roses that exists in the beautiful garden of Christ! Much LOVE!

…as Christians…we should be IN the world…but not OF the world…

 Hear our podcast at  https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 May 2024 Proverbs 3:1.

17 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:1.       My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

And at long last it was Friday…so we could all shout; ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’…with a summer-like weekend apparently in the offing.  About time too! For we’re in dire need of some summer hijinks and escapades, to get the blood flowing after a cold and dreary winter. (smile) And yuh better believe those hijinks and escapades will soon be hitting the streets, with some of us behaving like leggo-beasts, instead of placid humans. But that’s understandable after such a long period of being locked up with very few avenues to let out our innate steam. 

And on this fateful Friday, where we’re planning to let off some long pent up steam, we’re simply going to get into the wise words of Cousin Sol, that hopefully will keep us from doing anything foolish or unwise while doing so. According to the scholars the passage we’re about to read can be divided in to six sections, each containing a command and a reason to obey that command. So please read with me: ‘My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add unto thee.’ (Prov. 3:1-2) 

Wow friends! Right away we see some of the benefits of keeping the Lord’s commandments; long life and peace. But that’ only the tip of the benefits. For as Cousin Sol continues: ‘Let not mercy (LOVING-kindness) and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them on the table (tablet) of thine heart: so shalt thou find favour and good understanding (high esteem) in the sight of God and man.’ (Prov. 3:3-4) Oh my my! What wisdom! And which one of us doesn’t want or need favour and high esteem from both God and man eh? All of us do. And the scholars explain that ‘about thy neck,’ indicates that the father’s teachings should be as important in one’s life as an adornment around one’s neck. And the table of thine heart is our minds. 

And to further our wisdom and understanding Cousin Sol then leads us down this narrow path, where he writes: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:5-6) What exquisite wisdom my brethren! And what do the scholars have to say about those verses? Simply this: ‘Three commands are given: trust, meaning “rely on, depend on”; lean not, meaning do not depend on your own native instincts; and acknowledge him, meaning have fellowship and intimacy with God in ALL of life. The result of such devotion is that God will make the paths straight before you.’ 

How can we want for more than that eh my fellow believers? But Cousin Sol insists that there are indeed more benefits to be had in keeping the commandments of God while knowing Him through an intimate relationship. So here are some more words of wisdom. ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord (hold Him in reverential awe), and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’ (Prov. 3:7-8)  Now that last instruction is a rather important one, because remember as Cousin Sol says earlier in Proverbs: ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov. 1:7) That means submission to God in all aspects, including a healthy fear of Him, that draws you to Him, rather than have you run away. And that healthy and hearty submission will gain you a healthy and strong body. 

Then we have to ‘Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine.’ (Prov. 3:9-10) Now, that we know as tithing; as giving to God the first portion or tenth of our increase. It’s something He demands and expects. As He said to Israel when they were not offering their tithes. ‘Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’ (Mal. 3:9-10)  

Yes friends, our God is very protective of what He thinks is His, and when we do the right thing, He blesses us even more. Now back to the last two verses of Cousin Sol’s instructions in this passage, which are ever so important. So let’s read: ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighted.’ (Prov. 3:11-12) Yes my fellow saints, God’s correction shows His undying and unconditional LOVE for us. 

And the author of Hebrews corroborates Cousin’s Sol’s words (Heb. 12:5-6) but then adds this addendum. ‘If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, wherefore all are partakers, then are ye bastards (illegitimate), and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence (respect): shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?’ (Heb. 12:7-9) And the answer to that question is an obvious ‘YES!’ So please let’s get wise and follow the directions outlined above, that is, if we want to live the abundant life that Christ died for us to have. 

Now, let’s go humbly but confidently to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help in these desperate times of need. Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

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

And to activate divine help, one of the things we need to do, is be much better examples of Christian faith than we currently are. Much LOVE!

…God’s commandments are given for our benefit…not His…let’s remember that…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 May 2024 Jeremiah 29:13.

16 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 29:13.       And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Well, it’s Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and tomorrow we get to celebrate the big day of Friday! I must say that this week has gone by awfully fast… and I’m yet to do any of the things I planned to do. Ah Lord eh! Between the devil and my own laziness and procrastination we’ve had a lazy and unfulfilling time. (smile) But dem’s the breaks! And I have no one else to blame but myself. 

Now, it’s not that I haven’t done anything at all, but not the supposed important things I wanted to do. And that’s just how life and the enemy work together in concert to delay or trip up our best laid plans. That means we have to be strong and steadfast in the Lord and, if necessary, bully our way through the enemy’s lines and get our God-given plans fulfilled. And it’s not like we don’t have the wherewithal to do it. No! We most definitely do! 

Starting with the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, plus all the wonderful and encouraging scriptures found in the God’s Word. Scriptures like: ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) That’s Jesus’ faithful promise. Then Bruh Paul tells us, ‘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) Then he says; ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) 

And what about this wonderful promise that Bruh Paul offers in his letter to the Philippians? ‘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) Then you have this awesome scripture of godly strength: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil 4:13) And what about this marvellous promise of God’s provision?  ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

Yes friends, that’s wonderful news! God will not stop working in us until Jesus returns. That means we don’t have to fear anything, but we do need to keep up our personal intimacy with Him, through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, while fellowshipping with other believers, to encourage and build up each other so that we can do the good works that God desires of us. That’s why Jesus told the parable to the end that men ought always to pray and faint (lose heart). (Luke 18:1) 

For prayer is the immediate method of communication between God and man, the method devised by the heavenly Father for us to share our thoughts and desires with Him. Therefore, when we are tempted to lose faith and give up, that’s the very time we have to be strong and steadfast in prayer! No wonder the Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you (listen to you) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) 

Ah mih people, if there’s one thing Christians ought not to be lacking in is encouragement, for the Lord’s Word, the Bible, is filled with so many encouraging scriptures to keep us alive and kicking in Christ’s employ. The problem though is that we don’t read and study the scriptures enough, consequently we don’t have those warm and faithful words of encouragement stored in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. Remember, we cannot be encouraged unless encouragement and reassurance lies within us. And the only way to get it there is by putting it there through reading, studying and memorizing the useful scriptures, so when the time comes, they are right at hand to put them into action. 

Now, if we do as we ought, then we don’t have to fear laziness and procrastination, for as the scriptures expound: ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you: that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor. 9:8) There you go my fellow saints, if we stand strong and steadfast to do the Lord’s will, we will never want for anything. His bountiful grace will supply all we need. And that’s why Bruh David could make this amazing but oh so true statement: ‘The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) That says it all friends. Now we only have to believe it and put it into action. (smile) 

So, let’s get to declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which have been so generously bestowed on us, by the Father, to do His earthly work. And to activate them let’s declare them loud and strong. ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

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

And having said that, we are now duty bound to go out and use those blessings in the support of others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…now set your heart and soul to seek the Lord… (1 Chr. 22:19a)

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 May 2024 Revelation 21:5a.

15 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Revelation 21:5a.       And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new:

And the days move along like there was no today, only tomorrow. Yes, that’s how fast one day is becoming another. Can you imagine that we were just worrying about Monday, and now it’s already Wednesday. (smile) Oh friends, we can no longer afford to simply sit on our laurels and just allow the world to speed by around us. No! We have to get up and get ourselves together and do something worthwhile in our lives, preferably work that Jesus has commissioned us to do. And even if you don’t believe in Jesus, there’s so much necessary work to be done, helping others in worse situations than ourselves, that there are no excuses for not doing something worthwhile in our lives. 

Now that applies even more to believers in Christ Jesus who is depending on us to fulfill His Great Commission of spreading the good news of His gospel and kingdom all over Mother Earth! And to prove that very point, the Lord led me to this interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, titled ‘Only Goodness.’ Now, I’m pretty sure I’ve never shared this poem before because I would surely have remembered it. (smile) 

So please read with me: ‘What glorious words of wonder Come from the Apostle Peter. He wrote, “But we are looking forward To God’s promise of new heavens and a new earth afterwards Where there will be only goodness.”  O dear God “Where there will be only goodness.” After centuries of war, greed, and lust After indulgences shamefully practiced After hatred, hostility Jealousy and abuse. Murder and martyrdom Crime and cruelty Curses and rebellion. After whimpering cries from starving children After tragedy and catastrophe Loneliness and despair At last…at long last  “There will be only goodness.”  O dear Lord Your promise is Your guarantee But please hurry a little!’ 

Ah friends that poem is full of so much truth it isn’t funny. And all the things it talks about seem to be getting worse with each passing day. Our world’s gone mad my brethren! And only we believers, with the help of Almighty God, can slow it down until the Lord is ready to do His thing where “there is only goodness.” But we do need Him to hurry up and bring that promise to pass because things are so bad they’re shameful. Man’s inhumanity to man has reached heights we never dreamed possible. Hunger, poverty and sickness are rampant in a world of plenty. That ought not to be so. But the overwhelming greed of the haves prevent them from sharing with the have nots, thus there’s strife and every evil thing possible happening in our world. 

Now some of us will be wondering where Peter spoke of “there will be only goodness.’ He writes in his second epistle: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of person ought ye to be in all holy conversation (conduct) and godliness. Looking for and hasting (hastening) unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.’ (2 Pet. 3:10-14) 

Yes my fellow believers, at some stage of the game the world and all therein will go up in flames, in fervent heat, which could even mean a nuclear holocaust, which, right now, is a very present possibility, with threats of nuclear engagement being made every day by world leaders. However, be that as it may, we Christians are expected to be diligent and worthy in Christ’s employ until He comes back in the day of judgement, not the Rapture. That’s why Peter urges his readers, that includes us, ‘to look beyond  this present world to the new heavens and a new earth.’ 

But although I don’t know how much we can do to stop the constant flow of evil and inhumanity, we do need to make a glowing and positive effort to at least slow it down. For it’s our initial lack of purpose and effort that has caused it to reach this astonishing level. And what Peter was talking about, John did write in Revelation: ‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

And I heard a great voice saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new: and he said unto me, Write for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev. 21: 1-5) 

There we have it my people, the time when there will be only goodness and no evil whatsoever! And by the way, verses 3-4 above are the Bible verses on which our poem ‘Only Goodness,’ was based. Now for those of us who are doing our best to stay righteous and do good, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And it’s been also promised that if we endure with Jesus right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So, see you there! Much LOVE!

…while looking forward to the second coming of Christ…we should be busy doing His work…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 May 2024 Matthew 11:28.

14 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 11:28.       Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

So another Monday is in the books, we got our feet wet in this new work week, therefore we can now comfortably turn our eyes to Tuesday, without fear or anxiety. (smile) Yes, sometimes we might wish that we didn’t have any time off work on the week end, because it’s so easy to slip into rest mode, but ever so difficult to get back into a work frame of mind after a period of rest. But if we truly focus on Jesus, He will help us move from one arena to the next without much trouble. That’s His promise. And we know that He NEVER reneges on a promise. 

So, knowing that, wisdom dictates that we throw our everything, our all unto Him so that He can lighten our burden and help us make our way safely and securely. Remember that scripture we call the Great Invitation, where Jesus invites us to come to Him with all of our burdens, worries and problems? In all, LOVE, compassion and truth, He offers: ‘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) 

What a great invitation that is my people! In fact it’s the greatest invitation ever offered to mankind! So why aren’t many more of us accepting it eh? Because it seems too good to be true? Or because accepting it means we‘ll have to kow tow, or bow down to Jesus and all His demands? So what? It’s much better than kow towing or bowing down to Satan’s demands. And with Satan it never gets any easier, but always harder, more difficult to ferry our way through this turbulent life. 

With Jesus though, the more you entrench yourself in His way of life, the more experience you get with Hm, life becomes easier, well not necessarily easier, (smile) but you can better handle whatever comes against you. And why is that eh? Because then you’ll have the peace of God which passes all understanding, keeping or guarding your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7) And what’s that peace of God, you’re talking about eh? This commentary nicely explains it: ‘The Peace that transcends all understanding does not come from having everything work out exactly as we want it. The peace that transcends all understanding comes from knowing that no matter what life throws at us, we can still have joy when we know that our victory lies in Jesus Christ and not in our circumstances.’ 

Glory to God my people! How wonderful it is to know that we don’t have to worry or be anxious over every little thing in our lives…in truth, neither do we have to worry or be anxious over the big things either, because Jesus can handle anything that come against us. As Bruh Paul says to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’ (Phil. 4:6) And when we do that consistently, the peace of God that flows from that prayer, supplication and thanksgiving will allow us to handle it all my brethren. 

And also remember that when Jesus was here on earth, He was big on peace, because peace is what enables you to live the abundant and godly life. Note His words to the disciples. ‘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 friends, Jesus’ peace is not like what the world offers as peace. His peace is that peace that passes all understanding and allows us to handle our problems with wisdom and understanding, not anxiety and fear. 

And don’t you like how He says not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid?  For sure! That’s because He knows when His peace is flowing through us there’s no need to worry or be afraid. Especially when He again talks of peace to the disciples. This time saying: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And yes, sometimes it is difficult to be of good cheer when it seems like your whole world is falling down around you, but that’s exactly when the peace of God is necessary to keep you from falling over. 

And please note my fellow believers, Jesus never said that living the Christian life was easy. Nobody knew that better than Him, as you can see from all the trials and tribulations He encountered. But because He also had the Father’s peace flowing through Him, He was able to handle whatever came against Him. Why yuh think He was always praying and giving thanks to the Father? Because He knew that He could not handle it all on His own, despite His status as deity. So if Jesus as deity could not handle this crazy, evil and ungodly world without His Father’s help, why do we think we can handle it on our own eh? That’s surely a fool’s wisdom! 

We desperately need the awesome help of our Triune God to face this world with strength, wisdom and grace. As Bruh Paul so rightly said 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 that’s why Christians can face this evil and ungodly world without any trepidation or fear. But you have to sincerely embrace Jesus and His philosophy for that situation to apply to you. Satan nor his evil cohorts cannot give your that amazing sense of peace, LOVE and joy, that knowing Jesus can. 

Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having said all of that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…true rest and peace…can only be found in and through Jesus…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 May 2024 Luke 9:23.

13 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Luke 9:23.       If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Another Monday, another new work week, but at least yesterday was a joyful celebration of our Mothers, and that gives us hope and confidence to get out into the dissolute world today and carve out a big piece of it, all in Jesus’ name! And we do that by being the salt of the earth, the light of the world and letting the fruit of His Spirit flourish in us, some thirty, some sixty and some one hundred percent! Wow! What a wonderful world we’d have if more of us supposed Christians would just make the effort, think of all that Jesus sacrificed on our behalf, and be willing to sacrifice just a little on His. 

But it seems oh so difficult for us to give up just a tad of our comfort and security, to let our humanity show forth, to add a li’l joy, LOVE and compassion to world that so badly needs them in these times of serious worldwide strife and suffering. It’s asking too much of us to be like Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘Thou therefore endure hardness (hardship), as a good soldier of Christ.’ (2 Tim. 2:3) And also later on: ‘But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.’ (2 Tim. 4:5) 

Unfortunately though, not too many of us are willing and/or able to brave the hardships of this cruel world and put up a good fight for Jesus. We seem to conveniently forget what we signed up for when we became disciples of Jesus. As He said it: ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) And the important words in that statement are ‘deny himself… and take up his cross daily.’ 

Yes friends, we’ve got to deny ourselves and take up our crosses every day and follow Jesus if we truly desire to be His disciple. Nothing else will do!. And don’t forget these memorable words that tie in with true discipleship. ‘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) Ah mih people, that’s such an important part of being a Christian. As the scholars explain: ‘Precisely when tempted to give up, men ought to be strong in their resolve to pray.’ 

And Jesus wasn’t just talking for talk sake. No! Because He modelled that very thing for us by the amount of time He spent in prayer to His heavenly Father. He didn’t do anything without consulting the Father, because He came to earth to do the Father’s will. Mark tells us: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (deserted) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35) 

And even when the obedience to His death on the cross faltered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He said to the disciples: ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye (stay) here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Matt. 26:39) And He prayed that prayer three times, though deep down He knew that the cup could not pass from Him, because that was His major reason for coming to earth. 

And our heavenly Father is so faithful and compassionate that according to Luke, when Jesus shared His agony with the Father: ‘And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.’ (Luke 22:43) Likewise my fellow believers, when we share our deepest fears and agony with the Lord through prayer, He might not turn them aside, but He will surely give us the strength to handle them. As Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. ‘There hath no temptation (trial, tribulation) taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye can bear; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) 

Oh friends, how much more can we ask eh? We’re not down here to just smell the perfume of the roses and have Sunday strolls in the park. No! We’re here to perform a job as the hands, feet, eyes, ears and noses of Jesus, in other words, ambassadors, so that the heathen, those who are still living in the darkness of Satan can be brought into the light that Jesus offers, wherewith salvation and eternal life can be attained. And until we wake up to that reality and begin doing what we’re supposed to do, this world will remain a total mess, and possibly get worse as the days go by. 

But the sad part is that we all know what we’re supposed to do, we’re just not doing it to the best of our ability. Anyway, to help us do better, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, laying our all before Almighty God. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, let’s remember that divine aid only comes when we do certain things; turn from our evil ways, humble ourselves, pray and seek God’s face. Much LOVE!

…discipleship is indeed a tough row to hoe…but Jesus…through His Holy Spirit…gives us the wherewithal to walk the walk…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 May 2024 Exodus 20:12.

12 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Exodus 20:12.       Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

HAPPY  MOTHER’S  DAY!

And then it was Sunday once again… but one of those special Sundays in our calendar, namely Mother’s Day! Yes friends, today is the day we celebrate Mothers all over the world! The goodness, grace, care, compassion, kindness and LOVE of those amazing women who bear us in their wombs for nine long months, and keep on running their households, while also being out in the world working to bring home a pay cheque. 

Women, in particular mothers, are a special breed of human beings who have been anointed by God to bear the young of the species, and believe me, that takes a lot of patience, perseverance and longsuffering, virtues that are also attributed to God. And they must have God-like qualities and strength to accomplish the monumental tasks they are expected to fulfil. The amazing thing is that many of these mothers bear their tough tasks without complaining, just go about their business, their lot in life without stirring up too much fuss. 

But then again, like in every walk if life, there are others who whine and complain about everything. Nonetheless, the Lord said in the Ten major commandments He gave to the Israelites, and to all subsequent believers: ‘Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ (Ex. 20:12) So even if your mother or father wasn’t the greatest, it’s still your responsibility to honour them in a godly manner. 

And we’re going to do that today for all mothers, by singing a special song, written in their honour by Janice Kapp Perry (born October 1, 1938), an American composer, songwriter, and author, who grew up in a very musical family. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), she has written over 3,000 songs. According to Janice Kapp Perry, she was thrilled when Mack Wilberg asked her to write a new Mother’s Day song. 

‘And of course, you can only think of your own mother. If you had a good mother, she’s your inspiration for the song. My mother’s LOVE was the basis of everything good in my life. She was always there for me. My mother Ruth was a very enthusiastic person, energetic, she LOVED projects played in a dance band with their father, wrote musicals for the community. As far as her children were concerned, she was just a cheerleader. She LOVED everything they did. Made them feel like they could do things.’ 

And that my people is what mothers do; encourage their children, make them feel appreciated and able to fulfill every dream they have. So, having said all of that, let’s finally get around to singing this wonderful song titled ‘My Mother’s LOVE,’ in a slow, and soulful, rich and scintillating version of this hauntingly beautiful music as performed by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. 

Singing: “My mother’s voice, the power of her teachings, Live in my soul and guide me still today. Her caring ways, her timeless words of wisdom Come forth to help me through each day. In each challenge, each choice, Above the world’s noise, I hear my mother’s voice. My mother’s faith, her prayers of earnest pleading, Turned me to God in moments of despair. Her calm assurance of His tender caring Taught me to turn to Him in prayer. Through my darkest of days, I reach to feel His grace. Such was my mother’s faith. My mother’s hands that lifted and protected, Those loving hands that soothed my fevered brow Were as a shield from every earthly trial, 

And still, the memory helps me now. And my heart is aware, the strength that I now share Came from my mother’s hands. My mother’s voice will live in me forever. A steady anchor for my reaching soul, As generations climb the path together to sweet eternities untold. My mother’s LOVE, the essence of her being, Flows in and through me every waking hour. A quiet strength grew from her constant caring, A legacy of saving power. By her words and her touch, she strengthened me so much. I felt my mother’s LOVE… I felt my mother’s LOVE.”  

Ah friends, I know for those of us who had good mothers, that’s the kind of upbringing we had. And I have to chuckle as I read the first lines of the song. ‘My mother’s voice, the power of her teachings, Live in my soul and guide me still today. Her caring ways, her timeless words of wisdom Come forth to help me through each day.’ And that’s the gospel truth. My mother Molly’s words, and the power of her teachings still echo in my mind everyday as I face this crazy world. And yuh know what, with age and understanding, today I appreciate her teachings and guidance more than I did when she first instilled them in me. 

And being a single mother, I saw firsthand how she expended every effort for me to have a fairly decent life. We won’t rich… or even well-to-do, but we never lacked for anything, because she worked her fingers to the bone doing two jobs, or more like three, since after her full-time day job she would go down to the cinema and sell tickets for the afternoon show, come home, then go back and sell tickets for the evening show. And I’m talking about seventy years ago, long before the two jobs thing became a big deal. 

But along with that I also had LOVE and a fair amount of freedom and independence, built on a strong foundation of responsibility. I could generally go where I wanted to, once I’d done my chores and left a note stating where I’d gone to. However, please don’t believe it was all peaches and cream, because I paid the price for disobedience. She wasn’t as cruel as some of my friends’ mothers, but I did feel her wrath a time or two. (smile) And her faith, her calm assurance and perseverance through all the tough times we faced, unknowingly laid the foundation for my strong faith today. 

Obviously, I was in church every Sunday morning, and Sunday school every Sunday afternoon. I had no say in the matter. And even today I can feel the strength and joy in her living of life. For though it was sometimes rough, she always had a smile, and was kindness personified, she never complained, just encouraged me to always do my best. And no, she wasn’t a saint like we think of them, but simply a mother doing the best she could with what she had. And that’s what good mothers do! And it’s not only today we ought to celebrate them, but each and every day of the year, because that’s what they deserve! Much LOVE!

…a good mother is possibly the greatest treasure in this world…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 May 2024 Matthew 6:24b.

11 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:24b.       Ye cannot serve God and mammon (material wealth).

Ah friends, it’s a beautiful lazy-day Saturday… a tad windy, but definitely not as bad as it was a couple of days ago. And the store owners have big smiles on their faces as they are doing a brisk business on the eve of the Mother’s Day Celebration tomorrow. Ah Lord eh! It’s amazing how the economic forces can always find a way to strip us of the few pennies we have on some trumped up occasion. I’m not saying that Mother’s Day is not a worthwhile celebration, but the economic powers spread the goo so thickly in their advertisements that we can’t help but fall for it. 
And I’m sure it’s disturbing a lot of lazy-day Saturdays, (smile) but not to mind, Mother is worth every penny and every thing we do for her. So let’s smile up and look up, as we offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer with all sincerity and truth. As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 
And if you were sincere, then the presence and peace of God is flowing into you right now, for those kinds of prayers, prayers desiring His presence and LOVE, He answers right away. And all God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord!’ Now, yesterday, when we looked at Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount re treasures and the folly of storing up earthly treasures as against heavenly ones, we left out a couple of interesting verses that Jesus outlined. And we did it on purpose because it would have made the Bit even longer than it already was. 
So today, let’s take a look at those verses and see what more Jesus had to say on the subject of storing up treasures. After He declared: (yesss!!!) ‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ (Matt. 6:21) He continued: ‘The light (lamp) of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single (healthy), thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil (unhealthy), thy whole body shall be full of darkness; If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!’ (Matt. 6:22-23) 
Now those certainly are interesting scriptures my brethren. But what do they mean? Well, let’s listen as the scholars explain. ‘6:22-23: The light of the body is associated with the eye. The concept here is based on the ancient idea that the eyes were the windows through which light entered the body. If the eyes were in good condition the body could receive such light. Jesus, using this language metaphorically, affirms that if a man’s spiritual sight is healthy and his affections directed towards heavenly treasure, his whole personality will be without blemish. 
The phrase if …thine eye be single indicates devotion to one purpose. The “single eye” refers to a single, fixed vision or goal. The phrase if thine eye be evil refers to either disease or deception of vision. The “evil eye” is not something mysterious or devilish, but rather a deceptive vision that causes the viewer to mistake the identity of an object. The mistake in this context is the darkening of the mind and thus how great is that darkness!’ 
And yes, the explanation can be almost as challenging as the scripture itself to understand, but if we take our time with it, and go over it several times, I’m sure we’ll eventually get the gist of the whole passage. So why did Jesus introduce those ideas at that point eh? So that He could assert the following wisdom: ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (material wealth).’ (Matt. 6:24) 
Now that’s oh so true friends! We can only serve ONE Master at a time. And that ONE ought to be God Almighty and not the material wealth of this evil world. And the scholars tell us this about that verse. ‘6:24. This kind of spiritual double vision cause one to believe he can serve two masters. Total loyalty to God cannot be divided between Him and loyalty to one’s material possessions. A master (Gr. kurios) is a lord or an owner. That God claims total lordship over His own is obvious in this passage. Therefore Jesus rightly proclaimed, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. The term ‘mammon’ is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions or wealth. Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement toward wealth.’ 
And believe me people, too many of us, even God’s people, are still too enslaved to the possession of worldly wealth. So much so, that we run it down as though there was no tomorrow. We don’t eat or sleep properly. Our relationships are in bad shape and our attitude on the whole is totally disagreeable, because we are so fixated on gaining material wealth. It becomes an addiction, a sickness that’s difficult to overcome. It has you vying with others for supremacy in wealth and power, causes envy, jealousy and strife, and last but not least, physical sickness. And the sad part is that when you get sick, whether it’s emotionally or physically sick, the material wealth is useless in helping you to get better. Just look at the many wealthy people who die from simple diseases. Their wealth could not keep them alive. 
And yes friends, it’s good to have wealth, but not if you have to run it down. Remember who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and who causes us to get wealth in the first place…our heavenly Father. So if we need material wealth He is the One we ought to turn to, for everything in the universe belongs to Him, and if He gives us wealth, like he gave to Cousin Sol, then we won’t have to worry about losing it, since He won’t give it to us until He knows that we can be proper stewards of His belongings. So please, let’s stop running down money and material possessions nuh, for it only damages our lives, and when we die, we can’t even take any of it with us. it’s just left behind to cause further strife between our friends and relatives! Much LOVE!
…the LOVE of money…is the root of all kinds of evil… (1 Tim. 6:10)
 
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Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 May 2024 Matthew 6:21.

10 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:21.       For where your treasure is, there will your heart be.

And though it’s a cloudy kind of a sunny day, we don’t care because we’ve gotten to shout, ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Yes friends, the weekend’s here, work’s done for another week and we’re joyful as we set out to celebrate another eventful Mother’s Day, where we’ll wine and dine those wonderful women who bore us in their wombs for nine tough months, and then showed us what LOVE and life are all about, as they raised us in a caring and compassionate manner.  And that’s a good Bruh Paulian sentence! (smile) 

Today, we’re going to talk about something near and very dear to all of our hearts; that’s treasure, material wealth of the world, which all of us need to live, but too many of us live to get, to accumulate it, and will do anything necessary to get it. However friends, that’s not a good way to live at all. For running down material wealth is fraught with all kinds of problems, some even life threatening. Remember Bruh Paul’s serious warning to Timothy? ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith (for which some in their greediness have strayed from the faith), and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (ruined themselves).’ (2 Tim. 6:10) 

And that’s the gospel truth my people! When we run down money and all it’s inherent trials, we lose track of life, of our families, of ourselves, because the accumulation of money is a very demanding mistress. It can spoil everything around us, and even drive us from faith in God. And that’s the devil’s greatest hope. That’s why Jesus gave this very intentional warning: ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves break through and steal:’ (Matt. 6:19) 

Now we all know that to be true, because we hear and see it every day, where someone with lots of money is either defrauded out of it, or it’s physically stolen. And if your treasure happens to be in things like clothes, art, books or some mechanical device, then, with the passing of time, moth and rust will certainly attack them and thus drive down their value, or even make them completely worthless. So what’s the answer to that conundrum, that difficult problem of storing up our treasures? 

Jesus answers it thus: ‘But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt (ruin), and where thieves do not break through nor steal.’ (Matt. 6:20) More gospel truth my people! For heaven is such a secure place where there’s no moth, rust nor thieves. No, none of those negative things exist in God’s, and our soon to be home. So it’s obviously the best place to lay up your treasures. Then Jesus makes this oh so important statement: ‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be.’ (Matt. 6:21) 

And there’s absolutely no doubt about that, for wherever your treasure is laid up there you will concentrate your focus. Thus, if you have an accumulation of earthly treasures, you will focus on them down here on earth more than on anything else. That means God will most likely not be an important aspect of your life. However, if your treasures are in heaven, in the spiritual realm, then there will your heart be also, and God will be the focus of your life.  What Jesus is saying my brethren, is that the spiritual things of life are more important than the material things. And therefore one must concentrate on building up one’s spiritual maturity and life. 

That brings up Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy shortly before he told him about the destruction the LOVE of money can cause. ‘For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.’ (2 Tim. 6:7) More indisputable truth, since we didn’t bring anything when we were born, and we certainly cannot carry all, or any of the material wealth we’ve accumulated here on earth. So why kill our selves to accumulate it eh? Only to leave it for others to enjoy and waste. 

As Cousin Sol so wisely says in Ecclesiastes about leaving one’s wealth to others. ‘And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity (futility).’ (Eccl. 2:19) That’s another problem with leaving behind too much material possessions; people either waste it, or fight over it and the lawyers end up getting most of it. That’s why it’s so important to lay up treasures in heaven where you will be spending eternity. 

And the scholars offer these explanations on the subject. ‘The attention of the believer is directed toward treasures in heaven. The term ‘treasures’ implies the addition or accumulation of things. The two kinds of treasures are conditioned by their place (either on earth or in heaven). The concept of laying up treasures in heaven is not pictured as one of meritorious benefits but rather of rewards for faithful service, as is illustrated elsewhere in the teaching of Jesus.’ And since treasures in heaven come from faithful service to God, that means we cannot both focus on earthly treasure and heavenly rewards at the same time. As Jesus puts it: ‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money, riches).’ (Matt. 6:25b) 

More gospel truth! So we therefore have to decide which one we’re going to serve, and for all the reasons listed above, serving God is obviously the wisest decision. And to help us make that crucial decision today and stick to it, in light of all wiles and lies of the devil, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, for divine help. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And to get that divine aid rolling, as our prayer directs, we first need to show ourselves as true and faithful believers. Much LOVE!

…since earthly life is short and heavenly life lasts forever…wisdom dictates storing up more heavenly treasures than earthly ones…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 May 2024 Matthew 23:12.

09 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 23:12.       And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (lifted up).

So we’ve rolled into Thursday, the penultimate day of our work week, but in the background we are busy with all the preparations for the celebration of Mother’s Day this weekend. And hopefully it will be a grand old time for the many wonderful mothers in our world. Anyway I’m chuckling here, because I don’t know how many of you realized that I went off on a tangent yesterday on the subject of pride, when I really meant to deal more with Jesus words on the subject of servant hood. But let’s see if we can do that today nuh. (smile) 

As Jesus says in yesterday’s Bit: ‘If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, the servant of all.’ (Mark 9:35) And apparently, according to Matthew, this question came up after the mother of Zebedee’s children, James and John, came to Jesus with a request: ‘Grant that these two my sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 

They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with (His suffering and death): but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren (brothers).’ (Matt. 20:21-24) 

Yuh see people, life back then was no different to what it is now; everybody’s seeking self-aggrandizement by whatever means they can, even to the level that two of the disciples get their mother to go and ask Jesus to make them His right hand people. The Bible then tells us: ‘But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion (lord it) over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 

But it shall not be so among you: but whosever will be great among you, let him be your minister (servant). And whosoever will be chief (first) among you, let him be your servant (slave): Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (Matt. 20:25-28) 

Yes friends, the whole purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to be crucified and to show us a servant like attitude in our dealings with each other and the world, which He desires to see from His followers. We see that in His words after washing the disciples feet on the night before he was crucified. ‘If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you.’ (John 13:14-15) 

And Bruh Paul immortalized those words in his own way, when he wrote to the Philippians: ‘Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men (emptied himself of his privileges): And being found in the fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Wherefore God also exalted him, and given him the 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. 2:5-11) 

That says it all friends! Despite being deity, Jesus humbled Himself to come to earth and walk amongst mankind as an ordinary, compassionate human being, then sacrificing His sinless life to pay for our abominable sins. And because of that humility and sacrifice, the Father exalted Him above everyone else! Now that corroborates these fateful words of Jesus to the Pharisees when He denounced hypocrisy. ‘But he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (lifted up).’ (Matt. 23:11-12) 

Yes my fellow believers, humility is the watchword of Christ’s ministry. Now, that doesn’t mean we have to allow others to use and abuse us, but we don’t have to put on unnecessary airs and graces either, and try to show off and boast of our earthly wealth and power. We simply need to get down and dirty whenever it’s called for, to daily pick up our crosses and follow Jesus, wherever He may lead us; knowing that He will never lead us astray. And I sincerely hope that today’s lesson will reverberate very positively in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds and help us deny the foolish boastfulness, power hungry, self-seeking and greedy attitudes of this ungodly and evil world. 

Now let’s declare (awright!!!) and thus activate our Thursday Blessings, so generously given to us by the Lord to do His earthly work. As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

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

And having acknowledged those blessings, it now behooves us to go out and use them to help others, in the same generous manner as our great God, so that they can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…without humility…a Christian’s witness is a lie…

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