Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 April 2016 Luke 9:23‏‏

14 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

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

Oh friends, oh friends, it’s Thursday, another bright and sunshiny day in my neck of the woods! And on top of that, it’s also supposed to be warmer than yesterday. 

Oh, all praise and glory be to our amazing God, who bestows, who showers us with new and wonderful mercies, blessings and LOVING-kindness each and every day! 

Wow! How could I not LOVE, worship, praise, revere and glorify such a magnanimous Deity eh! 

And all God’s people declared a loud and proud, ‘Praise the Lord, for His goodness to the undeserving children of men!’ 

Yes my people, we do deserve to praise our heavenly Father for His unselfish care and compassion for us. Just wish that we could show Him and each other the same kind of care and concern. Anyway, since it’s Thursday, it’s time for us to confidently declare our Thursday Blessing… 

And with a thoughtful frown, the congregation asks: ‘What yuh talking about eh? Didn’t know we had a Thursday Blessing.’ 

Well the truth is my precious people, I didn’t know that either until a couple nights ago when I got this zeppo. (smile) 

And the story goes like this. As part of my devotions, I read an old devotional written by Bubba (Joel Osteen) in his early days of ministry. It had to be, because it’s old and beat up now, with some of the pages falling apart, and it was already old when I discovered it at my mothers place some years ago and we began reading it everyday, even when we couldn’t remember Bubba’s name. (smile) 

It’s called ’30 Thoughts for Victorious Living.’ I don’t know if Bubba even remembers that he wrote something like that, the amount of stuff he’s written over the last few years. But I like it; it serves my purposes, and I will continue to use it as long as I can. 

On a point of interest, most of my devotionals are old, but I prefer them to some of the new-fangled stuff that’s out there now. 

Anyway a couple days ago I was reading the devotions for the 11th of the month, which says ‘Declare Blessing’, and the prevailing scripture for that is the blessing instituted by our God long time ago for the Israelites. ‘Say to them, may the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favour and give you His peace.’ (Num.6:24) 

And the opening lines of the devotion are: ‘A blessing is not a blessing until it is declared! So today declare a blessing over yourself and others. Speak that blessing in the name of Jesus!’ And then he goes on to declare some blessings. 

Now the other day when I finished reading it, it suddenly occurred to me that it would make a good prayer for Thursdays. I thought about a couple of names, like ‘Thursday’s Temptation,’ or ‘Thursday’s Tantrum’ (smile) but eventually ended up with ‘Thursday’s Blessing’ as being more appropriate. 

And what I’ve done is basically taken Bubba’s general blessings and individualized them. So please declare with me now my brethren our Thursday Blessing, in a loud, proud, sincere and confident manner. 

‘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 everyday! Amen!’ 

Yes friends, that’s our Thursday Blessing. I like it, and I do hope you like it too. It’s basically a rework of the Lord’s blessings promised to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 28:1-14. 

Now let’s turn to our Bit, some very important words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, re the terms of our discipleship. ‘And he said to them all, If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ 

Yes my brethren, the number one rule in following Jesus is to deny ourselves, become selfless instead of selfish, as our world is today. That doesn’t mean we don’t look after ourselves as best we can and do stuff for ourselves, but that we are not the be all and end all of our earthly lives. 

Just as Jesus came to serve and save, we too must concentrate on serving and saving, and on a daily basis too, which isn’t always easy. But as I keep saying, with God’s help, EVERYTHING is doable! 

And we’ll end with Jesus’ words after our Bit. ‘For whosoever will (desires to) save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose (loses) his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged (benefited), if he gain the whole world, and lose himself (is destroyed), or be cast away (lost)? 

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.’ (Luke 9:24-27) 

And there we have it friends, the self-explanatory, immortal words of Jesus on how we must approach our discipleship. Please, let’s take some time today to ponder our individual relationship with Jesus, re those terms of discipleship. And as always, with God’s help, try to improve them, for that’s the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!

…successfully walking with Jesus…takes lots of time…lots of selflessness…lots of care and consideration for others…  

P.S. I know it’s long and late, but please be aware that the hockey playoffs have begun, which means that there’s lots of hockey every night, and thus there will be many late nights and consequently late mornings. (smile) Just bear with the ole fella nuh. He’s got to have a life too yuh know. And once he’s alive and kicking, the Bit will get there…eventually. Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 April 2016 Luke 9:23‏

13 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

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

Well, well my people, it’s another bright, sunshiny day in the life! Let’s hope it’s at least a tad warmer than yesterday, as we hopefully move into true spring-like weather by the weekend. And all God’s people in the northern climes declared a loud ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ 

Yeh friends, the crazy weather fluctuations do begin to get frustrating after a while. However, the good news is that it’s Wednesday, and therefore we are bold to confess and declare our Wednesday Wail. So as one good wailer, let’s wail nuh mih breddren, with sincerity and a true sense of purpose. 

‘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!’ 

Oh friends, that was beautiful! I could hear the sincerity in our delivery. And why shouldn’t  there be sincerity eh? We’re alive and kicking, doing our best to be Christ-like and mature more and more in our Christian walk of faith each day. 

We know what Jesus has promised and what He’s already done for us, therefore we are standing strong and steadfast in His Word, doing His will and looking forward to the wonderful future He has planned for us, not only in the many mansions in heaven, but also down here on earth. 

And yes my people, as Bruh David said, he don’t know what he would have done, had he not expected to see God’s goodness and LOVING-kindness down here. And Jesus also declared that He had come that we might have life, and have it abundantly. 

So earthly living, though it can often be rough, is not meant to be a hell on earth, but more a heaven on earth! Therefore let’s get our minds focused on God’s goodness down here nuh, not simply on the rough spells we sometimes must go through. 

Remember, life might not be fair, but God is GOOD my people, and if we live sincerely for Him, He will pour our His blessings on us. 

And in light of all of that, it is imperative that we do as our Bit dictates. ‘And he said to them all, If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ 

Oh precious people, I know that sounds somewhat harsh and laborious, but it really isn’t, because the essence of taking up one’s cross daily and following Jesus is simply living in His will; trying to do what’s right, reading the Bible, praying, fellowshipping, maturing, treating others as we want them to treat us. It’s just the everyday things of Christian living and discipleship. 

Now, no one says it’s easy, but with God’s help it is doable, and yuh better believe, it’s always interesting. So please, let’s not allow the idea of taking up our cross daily, yes daily, turn us off. The important thing is to put Jesus FIRST in ALL that we do and say. For as He said yesterday, whoever puts anything or anybody before Him, is not worthy of Him. (Matt.10:36-39) 

And today, He is telling the disciples to not be afraid of what man can do to them, because our heavenly father has us covered, so much so that even the hairs on our head are numbered. Sorry for those of you who have no hair. (smile) 

So with truth, sincerity and power, Jesus declares: ‘Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered (veiled), that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the air, that preach ye upon the housetops. 

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell… 

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt.10:26-28; 32-33) 

Ah mih people, it couldn’t be any clearer than that nuh. Don’t be afraid! Jesus said that numerous times to the disciples, and He’s still saying it to us today. But unfortunately we don’t seem to have the faith and belief and spunk that the disciples eventually gained, because we are not standing up as strong as we ought to for Jesus. 

We are allowing the evil and ungodly world to just dismantle all that our Christian forefathers spent their lives building without a serious fight. We need to put up friends, or simply shut up! 

And we’ll close with some interesting explanations from the scholars. ’10:32-37. Confess me means “Acknowledge that you belong to Me.” In reality, secret discipleship is a practical impossibility. Jesus constantly called for an open confession of Himself by His followers. 

That our confession is to be before men clearly indicates that a public confession of true Christian faith is a virtual necessity. The warning whosoever shall deny me is a comprehensive historical aorist (no limitation) tense, referring not to one moment of denial (such as Peter’s), but to an entire lifelong resistance to Christ. 

Therefore, a single act of denial does not make one unworthy of being a disciple, but a refusal to confess Christ at all, eliminates one from being a true follower of Jesus Christ.’ 

There we have it friends, in black and white! We cannot continually deny Jesus and expect to be His disciple. We must acknowledge Him without fear of reprisals. For He has promised to never leave nor forsake us, and to be a true believer, we must accept Him and His words as gospel truth. Otherwise, we’re just fooling ourselves, and that’s a real sad thing to do. Much LOVE!

…walking sincerely with Jesus is often a hard row to hoe…but hoe it we must…and with the Lord’s help…hoe it we will…  

P.S. Late though it be, it’s value is still priceless. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 April 2016 Luke 9:23

12 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

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

And then it was a dry, warmer, sunshiny Tuesday! Glory to God! Yeh friends, Tuesday has dawned much better than Monday did, and let’s hope the remaining days of the week will do likewise. 

Oh, they are even forecasting temps up in the high teens for the latter part of the week. Let’s hope that the weather people are right, because we do need a break from this rather unseasonable weather. And all God’s people in the beleaguered northern climes shouted a loud ‘For sure!’ (smile) 

But my people, though the weather might be important to a certain extent, we cannot allow it to be a major focus in our lives. It’s not that important. Our focus must be concentrated on Jesus and doing His will here on earth. 

And to help us do that this Tuesday, spring-like morning, (smile) let’s declare, let’s confess our Tuesday Mantra with a whole lot of enthusiasm and conviction. 

As one now: ‘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 isn’t that the glorious truth my fellow believers? Indeed it is! We are not defined by whom this evil and adulterated world says we are. No! We are defined as God’s beloved children and all the wonderful things that entails! 

All praise and glory be to our heavenly Father for His mercy and LOVING-kindness, sending Jesus to die for us, then to become our friend and most trusted confidante! Oh what an honour that is! 

Consequently, we are duty bound to share the good news of His gospel and His unconditional LOVE with all we meet, wherever we might go, for we are today’s disciples, entrusted with the sacred duty and directive, aptly named ‘The Great Commission’: 

‘Go therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always(s), even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20) 

Oh friends and neighbours, are we fulfilling that mandate to the best of our ability? I don’t think so nuh, else the church of Jesus; His earthly body of followers would be much larger, more cohesive and Christ-like than it is today. The divisions and dissensions, the envy and jealousy and resentment would surely not be as great as they currently are. 

Now here is some interesting info from the scholars, termed the ‘Purpose of the Church.’ ’28:19. The controlling purpose of the local church is to make disciples of all kinds of people. Those who are evangelized and converted should then be baptized, attesting to their identification with Christ and the local body of believers. 

The final phase of the Great Commission is to train disciples in Christian knowledge and for effective service. A church cannot choose one aspect of its responsibility and neglect the others. The Great Commission is a simple command with three steps – evangelism, baptism, and education. 

Illustration: The Great Commission is the strategy by which the church at Jerusalem saturated its community with the gospel. Application: Every Christian should determine that his ministry for Christ in the church upholds God’s objective for that institution. (First Ref. Matt.16:18; Primary ref. Matt.28:19; cf. Phil.1:27).’ 

Oh my fellow believers in Christ, are we upholding all the aspects of the Great Commission in our local churches, are we saturating our local communities with the gospel? I don’t think so nuh. At least not to the extent that we should. 

Are we evangelizing and training disciples in the knowledge of Christ? Not as we ought to. The church of Christ ought to be more forceful and proactive, not fearful and reactive and divisive as it is. Unless we’re all on the same page, nothing truly constructive will be done to further God’s glorious kingdom. 

And it all begins with us at the individual and local level my people; right down at the grass roots. The church needs a solid foundation at the bottom, just as any successful organization needs to have, if it is to grow strong and prosper for an enduring length of time, and in Christ’s case, forever. 

That finally brings us to our Bit, where Jesus laid down the terms of discipleship in His organization. ‘And he said to them all, If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ 

Yes my precious people, to be true disciples of Jesus, we have to take up our cross, and follow Jesus. And please note that He emphasizes a ‘daily’ taking up of our cross, not sometimes, or when we feel like, but each and every day of our lives. 

Now listen to how Matthew characterizes it in his gospel. ‘He that LOVETH father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that LOVETH son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.’ (Matt.10:37-39) 

Yeh friends, Jesus is supposed to be our NUMBER ONE LOVE! No ifs ands and buts about that! And if we LOVE anybody else or anything more than Him, then unfortunately we are not worthy of Him. 

So please, today, let’s take some time to truly ponder what position Jesus holds on the depth chart of our LOVE, and do whatever it takes nuh, with God’s help obviously, to make Him Number One, El Numero Uno! For that is true wisdom. Much LOVE!

…who is the Greatest…Jesus…who is Number One…Jesus…who is our Lord and Saviour…Jesus…who is our Advocate in heaven…Jesus…it’s ALL about Jesus… 

P.S. Please excuse the lateness, but the ole fella’s life been sort of topsy turvy these last few days. Got to bring it into balance. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 April 2016 Proverbs 1:22

11 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 1:22.   How long ye simple (naive) ones, will ye LOVE simplicity (naivete)? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 

And then it was a wet, windy, snowy, slushy, icy, miserable Monday morning! Ah Lord eh! When is this nonsense going to end eh? I guess a certain amount of bad weather is allotted for every year, and since we didn’t get it when we were supposed to, while I was away, we’re getting it now that I’m back. Chuh! That’s exactly why I went away when I did. 

Hn, hn! The Lord and His mysterious ways eh! But them’s the breaks friends, we just have to grin and bear it, because we don’t any other choice. We’ve got to work, and thus we have to get out on the roads in the nasty weather. So let’s leave home a little earlier than normal, and please, let’s take our time and drive even more carefully than usual, because in this kind of weather it doesn’t take much to cause fatal accidents. 

And to help us on our faithful and fateful journey this morning, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with as much gusto and enthusiasm as we can manage. 

As one heavenly choir now. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. 

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Oh friends, if that was how a heavenly choir sounds, then I surely don’t want to hear an earthly one! (smile)  Now it wasn’t terrible terrible, but it surely did not come up to our usual standards. And you could see the disappointment on Jesus’ face as He tried His level best to get us to perform better. Let’s hope we do a whole lot better with His work out in the world. 

Now let’s turn to our Bit, but first the verses that precede it, so we can put it into its proper context. ‘Wisdom crieth without (calls aloud in the street); she uttereth (raises) her voice in the streets (plazas). She crieth in the chief place of concourse (concourses), in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long ye simple (naive) ones, will ye LOVE simplicity (naiveté)? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?’  (Prov.1:20-22) 

Ah my people, those are very good questions. Why you ask? Because wisdom is the number one attribute we all should seek, and not the world’s wisdom, but that of Almighty God. And what is wisdom, you further ask? Technically speaking it’s simply “skill in living.” 

And one doesn’t obtain that by just being one of the boys. But one must apply oneself to its study and its practice.  You can’t acquire any skill without study and practice. Why then do we think we can acquire that of living without going through the necessary training process eh? 

And Cousin Sol is declaring that wisdom is out there, everywhere, shouting her head off for people to come and learn from her. Apparently back then not too many people were answering wisdom’s call, and unfortunately, not too many of us seem to be seeking it today either. 

And the scholars have this to say about the whole dilemma. ‘1:20-33. Wisdom is personified as a prophetess calling in public places to everyone to come to her and learn. Three groups are especially singled out in the appeal: the simple ones, or untaught; the scorners, or scoffers; and the fools, or morally dull (v.22). The consequences of rejecting wisdom are immense (vs.26-28).’  

And that is indisputable truth my brethren!  But wisdom, like our God, is so caring and faithful that she continues to call out to the unwise ones in our midst…and there indeed a lot of us. 

‘Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded: But ye have set at nought (disdained) all my counsel, and would (have) none of my reproof.’ (Prov.1:23-25) 

Ah friends, we see it every day; the many scorners, simpletons and fools who refuse to acknowledge and accept wisdom as an enhancement for their lives. But as the old people would say, if you don’t hear, you’re going to feel. So when we don’t heed wisdom’s call, then we will pay the price. \

For wisdom has declared: ‘I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear (terror) cometh; When your fear (terror) cometh as desolation (a storm), and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early (diligently), but they shall not find me: 

For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would (have) none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away (waywardness) of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity (complacency) of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet (secure, at ease) from fear of evil.’ (Prov.1:26-33) 

And that my people is indisputable truth! So please, as we go about Jesus’ business today, let’s all seek the elusive, but ever so necessary and important attribute called wisdom nuh, for it’s the mark of a true and mature believer. Much LOVE!

…wisdom, oh wisdom…thou art sweet like honey…how I LOVE thee and diligently seek thee…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 April 2016 Exodus 33:14

10 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

Exodus 33:14.   And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Awright my fellow believers, it’s the first day of the week; Sunday, the Lord’s Day, that means we need to be making our way to church at some stage of the day, to praise and worship and rejoice and fellowship with other believers. Now that’s not my directive, but our God’s.  (Ex.20:8-11) 

So if we want to be truly obedient then we will gladly do His will and don’t behave like it’s pulling teeth, like we’re being forced to go, and if we don’t, hellfire and brimstone might fall down on us. Now it just might… (smile)  

But please remember friends, this is for our good, not for God’s. He already has all He wants, and whether we praise and worship Him or not, will not change His situation, but it will surely change ours. 

So let’s stop being, stubborn, hardhearted and foolish and get ourselves to the Lord’s sanctuary, so that we can receive His blessings, mercy, encouragement, LOVE and revitalization to face tomorrow and the rest of the week strong and steadfast. 

And all God’s children declared a loud and proud shout of ‘Praise the Lord! Bless His Holy Name! All power and glory be unto Him!’ 

Ah mih people, what’s happening to our faith today eh? There seems to be more churches of different denominations, or no denomination, than ever before, but overall the total number of worshippers doesn’t seem to be increasing that much. What seems to be happening is that believers are leaving one church for another, so while some churches are packed to capacity, others are almost empty, especially of the youth of our society. 

It also seems that the youth of today can’t handle the staid, dirge-like, old fashioned worship of the established churches, and when they do go to church are opting for the more modern, new-fangled style of worship. Now that is something the established churches will have to figure out if they intend to survive this boomer generation. They’ll definitely have to invoke God’s wisdom and discernment to fix that problem. 

But enough preamble, let’s turn to our Bit. ‘And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.’ 

Oh friends, whenever we sincerely seek the Lord and diligently try to be obedient to His will, His presence surrounds us like a warm, protective blanket in the heart of winter. Hn! Many of us could use one of those blankets right about now, as the cold weather refuses to depart in peace from the northern climes. (smile) 

Now let’s turn to some scripture to corroborate the words of our Bit. Hear Bruh David from Psalm 51 – A prayer for cleansing – after Nathan the prophet had draped him up for his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. 

He cries out to God for mercy and cleansing, admitting his sin: ‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me. 

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (generous) spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.’ (Ps.51:7-13) 

Oh precious people, can you imagine the state Bruh David must have been in when he realized that God had marked his selfish and foolish abominations, after He had been so good and generous to him. Note his words in verse 11: ‘Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.’ He knew how essential it was to be in God’s presence, with His Holy Spirit leading him. Without those two things, he might as well be dead.  

And on a more current and sadder note, I recently read in the newspapers about Glen Campbell’s losing fight with Alzheimer’s disease. We all remember him from his hit making days, with songs like ‘Rhinestone Cowboy, By the time I get to Phoenix,’ and my personal favourite ‘Gentle on my mind.’ 

Now, at age 79, he’s living in a memory care community in Nashville, apparently not even able to play the guitar anymore. How sad. But his wife Kim had this to say: ‘Faith has always been the central part of our relationship. I’m so pleased that as Glen has entered the later stages of this illness, it’s evident that he has retained his awareness of God. 

There have been times when he’d walk over to the window and look at the beautiful trees outside, and he’d just raise his hands and say, “Thank you, heavenly father.” He could barely speak at all, but he could come up with “We’re so blessed,” or “Thank you heavenly father.” 

That really comforts me to know that he has that sense of God’s presence in his life, that he’s not alone, even if I’m not right next to him.’ 

And all God’s people said, ‘Amen.’ 

Let’s hope and pray friends, that any of us who head down that sad and lonely road, will also feel the comforting presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, even though we can’t put it into words. 

Now let’s end with these immortal words of Bruh David from Psalm 139 – The everlasting presence and power of God. And every time I read the words or hear it spoken, I remember the most memorable reading of it I’ve ever heard, that by Gramps Schuller (Robert H. Schuller) one day from the Crystal Cathedral. The way he acted it out, it got stuck in my mind forever. 

Listen to these most appropriate words. ‘Whither shall (can) I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall (can) I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 

If I say, surely the darkness shall cover (fall on, hide) me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.’ (Ps.139:7-12) 

And all of that is gospel truth friends! We can’t run nor hide from God, even if we are foolish enough to try. So please, today, let’s go about obediently doing His will nuh, for it’s in our best interest to do so. Much LOVE!

…to be eternally in God’s awesome presence…is why we were created…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 April 2016 Exodus 33:14

09 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

Exodus 33:14.   And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

And then it was Saturday, and the next couple days in my area are supposed to be cold and snowy and wet and rainy. Steups! Whatever happened to that thing called spring eh? In winter we didn’t get any snow, and now in what’s supposed to be spring, it’s too often cold and snowy! Chuh! And yet they insist that climate change is not real. 

But anyway, whether it is real or not, we believers in Jesus Christ don’t have to let it worry us. Oh yes, the weather will become irascible like many of us, (smile) but we can’t afford to allow that to dictate our lives, that ought to be done by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  

So to help us handle all the unwanted stuff we have to handle, let’s pray this prayer taken from a Devotional titled ‘A Journey of LOVE. Walking with St. Therese of Liseux’ – The Saint of the Little Flower. I’ve shared it before, but in these troubled times, times of hate and anger and doubt and all the negative stuff that’s predominant in our world, we need something to counteract that negativity. 

And the only thing able to do that is LOVE, and we have been assigned the vocation of LOVE. So let’s pray for help in our vocation. Please pray with me: ‘Jesus, I desire above all else to centre my life in you. Only you can give me the courage to face up to my responsibilities, to be compassionate and forgiving, to let go of what is not important and to embrace what is important. 

I am called to accept and to cherish your LOVE for me and to allow your LOVE to go out from me to all your people, Help me to walk in your steps without compromise and to be open to your presence in all of the people I meet. I make my prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.’ 

Yes friends, the irony of it all is that we cannot do God’s work without God’s help! And the most effective way to receive that help is through prayer.  The Lord has promised that when we diligently and sincerely seek Him, He will be found by us. That’s why prayer is so important in a believer’s life. 

That’s also why Bruh Paul told the Ephesians to pray ALWAYS; (Eph.6:18) the Thessalonians to pray WITHOUT CEASING; (1 Thess.5:17) and his young protégé Timothy to pray EVERYWHERE. (1 Tim:2:8) So to all intents and purposes, prayer MUST BE an integral part of a believer’s life, because in doing so we will always be in the presence of God, which is ever so important for our earthly journey. 

Moses, one of God’s greatest prophets was adamant about not continuing the journey through the wilderness if the Lord’s presence was not going to be with him. That is even after God promised in our Bit: ‘And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.’ 

Ah mih people, without God’s wonderful presence in our lives, innumerable trials and tribulations will come our way, from which we’ll have little or no leeway to escape. However, when we are basking in the Father’s presence, we are assured of His help to get through the difficulties, though not necessarily complete escape. 

That’s because He has promised to work everything out for the good of those who LOVE Him and are called according to His purpose. (Rom.8:28) And if there’s one thing we can rest comfortably on, is that our ever-faithful God NEVER reneges on His promises. 

Now let’s look at some scripture that exalts the glory and wisdom of being in God’s presence. And we can’t talk about that without including words from Bruh David’s heartfelt declarations. This comes from Psalm 31 – In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. 

‘Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence (secret place) from the pride (plots) of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion (shelter) from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord: for he hath showed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. 

For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O LOVE the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart.’ (Ps.31:19-24) 

And we can’t argue with Bruh David because in spite of his mistakes, he was still considered a man after God’s own heart, so intense was His longing for Him. 

Meanwhile, in Jeremiah, when the Lord is dealing with the false prophets, He promises: ‘Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence. And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’(Jer.23:39-40) 

Yes friends, that’s the kind of thing that happens when we are cast out of God’s presence. Please pray that it never happens to us. And we’ll end with this great example from the prophet Jonah. 

The Lord had said to Jonah: ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry (out) against it: for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.’ (Jon.1:2-3) 

Now how foolish was that eh my brethren? As a prophet, a man of God, Jonah should have known better than that. And we all know the story of the terrible storm that arose, due to Jonah’s disobedience, and how he was thrown overboard and spent three days and nights in the belly of a great fish, before coming to his senses and repenting. And the Lord in His great mercy and LOVING-kindness forgave him and gave him a second chance. 

Oh my fellow believers, fleeing from the Lord is not easy if He doesn’t want us to flee. But why should we want to flee from Him anyhow eh, when He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Creator and Provider of all? That’s certainly not wisdom. So please, let’s be wise today and seek the Lord’s presence rather than try to flee from it. Much LOVE!

…the Christian’s desire ought to be…to continually seek God’s face…and to continually bask in His presence…  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 April 2016 Exodus 33:14‏

08 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

Exodus 33:14.   And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

‘Friday, Friday, Fridayyy! Thank God it’s Friday! That means the weekend is here and we going to party down the place! No more slaving in unsanitary conditions for a measly wage. It’s Friday! Thank God for that yes!’ 

Yeh friends, that’s the general cry I hear as I come out this Friday morning. And truthfully, you can’t blame people if they feel that exhilaration at the prospect of two days off from the conditions under which some of them labour. 

But going to the other extreme, excessive partying and licentiousness, is not the answer either. In many cases, the other extreme is just as bad as the first. What we need is to have a balanced attitude towards life, and I believe that our Friday Chant provides that, so let’s chant it nuh, with sincerity and courage. 

As one chanter now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. 

Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ 

Yes my brethren, we need the full treatment; rest, relaxation, fun, praise and worship, if we are going to back out the next week and work diligently for Jesus again. 

And we’ve got plenty to say this morning – when don’t we eh – (smile) so let’s get to our Bit right away. ‘And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.’ 

That’s a sincere promise from our heavenly Father, and we know that He NEVER breaks His promises. 

Now listen to this story. I opened up my computer late last night and received this sad information from one of my surrogate sisters in Jamaica. Apparently a gunman recently accosted her one midday as she came home from the supermarket, put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her. 

To make matters worse, it was on the anniversary of her mother’s death and she had put on a set of bangles belonging to her mother.

Surprisingly, she says, she stood stock-still and did not move. She also discovered that she was not afraid of death, and she remained calm, while telling the Lord that her children were not yet ready to do without her. 

The gunman in the meanwhile burst off a chain from around her neck, took her bangles and rings, and after threatening to kill her simply left. Now they claim that she’s suffering from PTSD, but she’s claiming that the Lord will see her through…and He will. Glory to God! 

Only thing is that at first she was somewhat angry with God, but is now realizing that her life was the most important thing – of course it was! The few baubles and bangles that the gunman stole can never compare to the sanctity and preservation of her life. 

She also considered that her mother might have been protecting her through her bangles, and last Sunday, at church she got up and sang her mother’s favourite song, which included a verse of ‘Amazing Grace.’ What a powerful testimony friends! 

And would you believe that she was not going to tell me about her shocking, near death experience. But as I keep saying, our God moves in mysterious ways, and I believe, yesterday, when I wrote about the importance of being in His presence, it worked on her heart and she decided to tell me. 

Thanks for sharing Sis, but you can’t keep those kinds of things from the ole fella. You know if something untoward happens to any of you, it will affect him greatly. 

But my people, you see what can happen when you seriously and sincerely stand strong with Almighty God. He will stand strong and steadfast with you too in your time of need. You’ll note how she was calm and not afraid. That’s because the Lord’s presence was surrounding her. 

Her faith made her strong, and wise too by not fighting or struggling with the gunman. He was possibly more afraid than she was. 

But friends, it all points out to us the absolute necessity of continually being in God’s presence, of walking and talking with Him, for we never know when some action like that above will occur and have us desperately needing Him. 

But look at what life has come to eh! Even in your own home, in the middle of the day, yuh not safe! Ah Lord eh! And the sad part is that it’s not getting any better, but worse. It’s a good thing that we Christians have the Creator of the universe looking out for us yes! 

And we’ll end with these wonderful words of testimony from Bruh David as he seeks preservation and blessing in Psalm 16, from the wonderful God of his fathers. ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope. 

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’(Ps.16:8-11) 

Yes my brethren, we can also sing the same song because our Redeemer, Jesus Christ has travelled down that same path and paved the way for us. Let’s wisely cling to Him and His ways nuh, for that’s wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!

…oh what unspeakable joy there is in the Saviour’s presence…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 April 2016 Exodus 33:14

07 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

 Exodus 33:14.  And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Well hello there my beautiful Scrip-Bit family! How you all doing this wet and windy morning in the first week of April eh? I do hope that you all are doing fine, despite the problems that are hovering over you, for we are the beloved children of the Most High God Jehovah and are destined to do well, regardless of our circumstances. Glory Hallelujah! 

Yes friends, as God’s intimate family we have been promised a blessed life, filled with our heavenly Father’s grace, mercy, truth, care, compassion, forgiveness and abundance. So please let’s not allow our circumstances to rule us, let’s rise above them instead and live in the heavenly realm, through our eyes of faith, not worrying about our earthly condition. 

And here is some encouragement and advice from Gramps Schuller (Robert H. Schuller) for when we are traversing the fearful valley of the shadow of death, taken from his Hours of Power Devotional. 

He says: ‘Peace of mind comes to the person who feels the presence of God…. Nothing can stop the man who feels the presence of God in his life. Terror is like morning dew in a noonday sun. Fear is ice on summer seas. The tense, trembling, troubled heart becomes as placid and peaceful as water in an inland lake moments before the dawning of day…. 

Don’t trust the clouds – trust the sunshine. Don’t set your compass by the flash of lightning – set it by the stars. Trust the sun – don’t trust the shadows. Believe in your dreams – don’t believe in your despairing thoughts. Have faith in your faith – and doubt in your doubts. Trust in your hopes – never trust in your hurts.’ 

Ah mih breddren, what wonderful words of advice and encouragement! And I particularly like the positive aspect of the last few lines: ‘Believe in your dreams… have faith in your faith… trust in your hopes…’ 

Oh friends, when we sincerely and diligently do those three things, we have nothing to worry about, for we will then have the world by its tail, with the presence of God richly dwelling in us. Nothing can be more beautiful and peaceful than God’s presence in all our doings! 

And all God’s children declared a loud and grateful: ‘Thank You Father for Your wonderful and peaceful presence in our lives! We couldn’t face this evil world positively without Your amazing grace! We LOVE You and praise Your Holy Name! Amen!’ 

And today friends, we’re going to look at two instances of how God’s presence with us is ever so important. And we’ll begin with the passage from Exodus that includes our Bit, when Moses prays for God’s presence. 

‘And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou will send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.’ (Ex.33:12-17) 

Ah friends, Moses recognized the importance of God’s presence with them, if they were ever to traverse the wilderness safely then enter the Promised Land and successfully conquer it. And God recognized the validity of Moses’ argument and agreed to do as he asked. 

Note that Moses even told the Lord that if He wasn’t going to go with them, then He shouldn’t bother to send them up. Such was the importance of God’s presence. And so it is in all our lives my fellow brethren in Christ. If the Lord’s presence isn’t with us, then we’re in for an even rougher time than normal. 

And even before Moses, we have another example of how God’s presence, is, was, and will always be important to us. Listen to what happened to Cain after he killed his brother Abel. The Lord cursed Cain for his evil deed. 

‘When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength: a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 

Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 

And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod (lit. Wandering), on the east of Eden.’ (Gen.4:12-16) 

Ah mih people, yuh see what happens to us when we are shut out of the Lord’s presence? Nothing good comes of that friends. But even in his exile, the Lord showed grace and kindness to Cain, by setting a mark on him, that people wouldn’t kill him. 

And the scholars add this explanation. ‘4:16. This portrays the direction of fallen and unsaved humanity into exile from God, without hope in the world, “wandering aimlessly” about.’ 

Now that, my fellow believers in Christ, we cannot afford to let happen to us, otherwise crapaud smoke we pipe! So let’s continually keep seeking the Lord’s presence in our lives nuh, for that is a mark of eternal and everlasting wisdom! Much LOVE!

…to be in God’s presence continually…is the mark of a true believer…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 April 2016 Matthew 25:40‏

06 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 25:40.   And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Aye mih people, the ole fella’s a tad under the weather this morning, having run around from pillar to post yesterday trying to accomplish some errands, then a meeting in the church in the evening just set back all my other stuff and made it a rather late night, or rather early morning. (smile) I’ve got to learn that I’m not as young and strong as I used to be. 

Hn! But talking about under the weather, that veritable element is being rather disgusting this April morning. When I went to bed, sometime after three, it was dry and beautiful outside. But when I get up at nine, it’s white as snow and that foolish stuff is pelting down like rain! 

Steups! What’s with that eh? That’s the second time in as many days. Chuh! I thought now was supposed to be spring. However, it seems that because we didn’t get our usual allotment during the winter months, we’re getting it during the springtime. 

But yuh know what friends?  All that stuff is immaterial when placed beside the LOVING care and compassion of our wonderful God! Glory Be! 

So to honour Him and get ourselves ready to hear his Word, let’s offer up the sacrifice of praise and worship by singing two verses of the old and glorious hymn, ‘At the Cross.’ 

Please sing with me. ‘Oh Lord You’ve searched me You know my way Even when I fail You I know You LOVE me Your holy presence Surrounding me In every season I know You LOVE me I know You LOVE me At the cross I bow my knee Where Your blood was shed for me There’s no greater LOVE than this 

You have overcome the grave Your glory fills the highest place What can separate me now You go before me You shield my way Your hand upholds me I know You LOVE me At the cross I bow my knee Where Your blood was shed for me There’s no greater LOVE  than this You have overcome the grave Your glory fills the highest place What can separate me now?’ 

And the answer to that poignant question my precious believers in Christ is as always: ‘ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!’ 

Yes my brethren, once we’re ensconced in the LOVING fold of God, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING can ever take us out or steal us away! That’s just the way it is! 

And since today is Wednesday, let’s do some wailing nuh. (smile) As one wailer now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! 

I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

Ah friends, I might be a tad under the weather, and the weather outside might be unkind, but I’m ever so glad to be alive this Wednesday morning, basking in the LOVE of my Saviour Jesus, holding steady to my furrow and looking forward to an even more wonderful future with my friend and brother. 

Oh glory to God! Nothing can be better than that my fellow believers! So please let’s grasp the eternal and everlasting lifeline that Jesus has thrown out to us, and hold on tightly to all that He has to offer! 

Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ 

Yes my fellow Christians, we need to render sincere service to the poor and needy as our Lord and Saviour did. 

I like how Mark puts it in his gospel. ‘For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend (cause to stumble) one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.’ (Mark 9:41-42) 

Oh my people, yuh see what can, and will happen to us if we, through excessive pride and foolish thinking, refuse to serve our fellow man! 

Our God is not only concerned with the big things that impinge, that impact our lives, but also on the small and everyday matters that we have to deal with. In fact He’s concerned about EVERYTHING that concerns us. That’s just the kind of God He is. 

But we need to let Him into our lives before He can help us. And that’s the number ONE problem today! Too many people are running away from Jesus rather than into His ever-LOVING arms. That’s just not right or wise my brethren. But I digress. 

So let’s end with these wonderful words of encouragement from Bruh Paul in Hebrews. ‘But beloved, we are persuaded (confident of) better things of (concerning) you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of LOVE, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 

And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful (sluggish, lazy), but followers (imitators) of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.’ (Heb.6:9-12) 

And that my friends is my sincere wish and prayer for all of us today. Please, please, let’s passionately pick up the baton and run a good, steadfast and diligent race with it nuh. For that’s the wisdom of heaven. Much LOVE!

…one can’t win a race and get a reward…unless one runs in it…with diligence, steadfastness,  and a strong sense of purpose… 

P.S. It’s late and long, and I do hope it makes sense. But in any case, I know that my wise, wonderful and faithful Christian friends can pick sense from nonsense. (smile) Much LOVE!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 April 2016 Matthew 25:40

05 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 25:40.   And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Ah friends, thankfully the mess and muck of yesterday’s precipitation should have been mostly cleared away from the roads, so the trip to work this morning shouldn’t be that bad. But it’s cold, beastly cold, so please dress warmly, possibly your long johns (smile). 

Then let’s put a smile in our hearts which shows up on our faces and our conduct as we face the evil and godless world and evoke the gospel of Christ, and hopefully bring others to the truthful realization that He ONLY, is the way to salvation. 

And since today is Tuesday, it’s only mete and right that we declare our Tuesday Mantra. So as one now: ‘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’ 

Oh yeah, my brethren! We are indeed not what we do or what people say about us, but the beloved children of God! Glory Hallelujah. Once we believe in Jesus and surrender our lives to Him, we are immediately adopted into God’s fold and become joint heirs of the kingdom with Christ. 

What a bam bam! Joint heirs of the kingdom of God with Christ… Mama yo! Nothing could be better than that my people! So please let’s stop allowing the world to define us and have us foolishly running around like chickens with our heads cut off to live up to its standards. 

Remember we are working for our FRIEND Jesus to share His LOVE with a sinful world! That’s what defines us. Now I want to share something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s titled ‘Walking Together.’ 

And it says: ‘It would be sheer mockery, Lord It would be subtle hypocrisy For me to kneel Anguished and weeping Before Your cross Unless – As I walk with You now Down my personal Emmaus Road I introduce You With singing joy To the broken and bound The weary and worn The depressed and defeated Whom we meet on the way. And, Lord, I observe That as we walk together Foot traffic thickens.’ 

Oh friends, what glorious truth! As we walk together with Christ along our earthly path, and we meet the broken and needy and share the good news of Christ’s gospel with them, as well as any material help we can offer, we are indeed joined by others in our journey and Christ is indeed more glorified. 

Remember Christ said that He came to save the lost, to feed the hungry, to heal the sick and broken, and take care of the stranger, the widows and orphans. So it is necessary that we too, as brothers and sisters with Christ, look after the lost and needy. 

That’s why in our Bit, and also the Bible promise for the poem above Jesus declared: ‘And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ 

Yes my fellow believers, it’s all about how we react to those who are suffering in this ungodly and evil world! If we spread Christ’s message and His material benefits amongst them, then we’ll be set on His right hand with the sheep… Oh glory to God for His goodness to the children of men! 

But if we spurn and/or ignore the lost and needy, regardless of all our other so-called good deeds, we’ll end up on Christ’s left hand with the goats… How sad! Because hear what He’ll say to that group. ‘Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. 

For I was an hungered (hungry), and ye gave me no meat (food): I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.’ (Matt.25:41-43)  

Brother! We certainly don’t want to be in that lot my precious people, because as we keep saying, eternal separation from Almighty God is the worst thing that can happen to a human soul. 

And Jesus spelled it out earlier on in Matthew when talking about rewards. ‘He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.’ (Matt.10:40-42) What glorious promises my brethren! 

And the scholars have this to say about those verses. ’10:41-42. In the name of a prophet (i.e., “as a prophet”). The meaning of this statement is that those who are not prophets themselves may share in the labour and reward of the prophets by willingly supporting their ministry. One of these little ones is a reference to the fact that even the smallest service done to the most insignificant of Christ’s servants shall be rewarded by the Lord Himself.’ 

Oh friends, yuh see that living and working for Jesus is not rocket science, but simply letting the goodness of our hearts flow to others, especially those in need! 

And we’ll end with these wise words of Cousin Sol from Proverbs. ‘He that oppresseth the poor (needy) reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor (needy).’ (Prov.14:31.’ 

Yes my people, when we honour the needy, we honour our God and Maker. So please let’s go out and do that with a sincere heart today nuh, and thus help our cause in Jesus’ eyes. That’s nothing but the wisdom of the ages! Much LOVE!

…being a Christian means…being a servant…a helper…a friend to the poor and needy…

 

 

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