Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 July 2023 Mark 4:41.

23 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Mark 4:41.        And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Another Sunday my fellow believers; another Sabbath Day to gather in fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary and worship Him with great gratitude and humbleness of heart! And I guess these Sundays seem to come around so quickly because our heavenly Father knows how badly we need them to keep up our strength, faith and confidence in Him during these troubled and trying times. And renewing our trust and faithfulness in Almighty God is indeed one of the many benefits of attending church on the Sabbath. Giving Him thanks and praise through our worship celebrations is also one more purpose for believers gathering on the Lord’s Day. 

Now, let’s begin the proceedings, by getting into worship mode right away, offering up sweet sacrifices of praise with some West Indian music, the sweetest gospel music there is (smile). It’s a reggae tune we all know and LOVE, popularized by the Jamaican gospel artist George Nooks and aptly titled, ‘Ride Out Your Storm.’ So, as one harmonious voice my people, let’s sing up a storm this Sunday morning! 

The Intro simply says: ‘Don’t give up…yeah just ride out your storm.’ Then we break into song: ‘You’ve been in the storm and it seems like forever. And your nights of confusion have been too long. Your ship has lost anchor, and the storm’s got you drifting. Just hold on to Jesus And ride out your storm (Chorus: Ride out your storm, God is there with you, you may not feel him, but you’re not alone. You’re hurting now, but your morning is coming…Lord have mercy, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm) 

Remember His promise, He said I’ll never forsake you, though the waters are troubled, they’ll do you no harm. Don’t give up the battle for your answer is coming, just hold on to Jesus, hold on to Jesus, and just ride out your storm. (Chorus: Ride out your storm God is still there with you, you may not feel him but you’re not alone. I know you’re hurting now but your morning is coming, Lord have mercy, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm. 

Oh Ride out your storm God is there with you, you may not feel him, but you’re not alone. Although you’re hurting now, your morning is coming, just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm. You know He’ll never leave you, so just hold on to Jesus, and just ride out your storm. Hold on to Jesus, and ride out your storm.’ 

Pretty music mih people, all heaven was singing and dancing with us too! Wow! And the song simply tells us the basic truth of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and thus surrendering our lives to Him; that He’ll never leave nor forsake us. And He’s said it several times. For example, right from the very beginning He had Moses reassure the Israelites thus: ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee: he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ (Deut.31:5) 

Then Moses said the same thing to Joshua personally before the whole Israelite camp. (Deut. 31:8). Then at the very beginning of Joshua’s leadership of the Israelites, after the death of Moses, the Lord told him the same thing. ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ (Josh. 1:5) And all down throughout the Old Testament, we see the Lord encouraging those whom He asked to do His bidding, and also empowering them to do it. 

Then, in the New Testament, Jesus, while giving out the Great Commission faithfully promised the disciples and us: ‘…and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) Now doesn’t that stand for, or mean anything to us? It surely should! And later on, the author of Hebrews reiterates the sentiment: ‘…for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’ (Heb. 13:5b) Don’t know how much more assurance we need before we believe and react courageously. 

And, as per helping us to ride out our storms in times of trouble and sickness, there’s no one better at doing that than Jesus, for He is the original Storm Calmer! And you cannot get a better example of Jesus’ skills as a calmer of storms than this one when He was crossing the sea of Galilee with the disciples and a great storm suddenly arose, but Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat oblivious to it all. 

But when the boat started taking in water and it seemed like they would drown, the scared disciples woke Jesus and said to Him: ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he (Jesus) said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?’ (Mark 4:38-40) 

And my fellow believers, that’s the same question Christ is asking all of us today: how come our faith is so small that we are constantly afraid of the storms of life, when we have Him to protect us from them, to calm them and/or to help us ride them out? Too many of us display the reaction the disciples displayed on that fateful day. ‘And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark 4:41) Well, He is the man who originally created the winds and the seas, and still controls them, so they just naturally obey Him, like we who claim to believe in Him ought also to do! 

Oh my fellow saints, especially in what looks like the last days, we need to have great faith and courage in Jesus, if we hope to make it through. We need to remember that Jesus is our Be All and End All: That we can do all things through Him who strengthens us, (Phil. 4:13) and that He will provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory. (Phil. 4:19) And that the Lord will eventually work out everything for good to those who LOVE Him and are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28) 

These are some of the scriptures we must have written indelibly in our hearts, so that we can remember them in times of need and have them boost our faith. That’s the only way we’ll live the abundant and successful life that Jesus died for us to have! Much LOVE!

…in the storms of life…JESUS…is the first name that should roll off our tongue…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 July 2023 Romans 8:28.

22 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:28.       And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Sunshine, lollipops and roses! Yes friends, that’s what we’re having on this beautiful lazy-day Saturday! And though I’m somewhat annoyed that I had to get up earlier than I wanted to, because my back was aching from lying in bed too long, it’s always nice to see the morning sun come up over the horizon. But how I envy those people, like the duchess, who can lie in bed for as long as they like without any negative repercussions. Me, I lie down for a few hours, and just when my mind is getting comfortable, my body begins getting uncomfortable. 

But as the old people would say, them’s the breaks! They certainly are, and we can’t waste too much time griping over our eccentricities. (smile) And I’m chuckling here now, because a few days ago I wanted to use that word, eccentricities, and for the life of me, I could not remember it. But now it just pops up without a problem. Ah Lord eh, the vicissitudes, the variations of life! 

Anyway, enough griping, whatever else is wrong with us, the most important thing is that we’re alive and kicking on this glorious Saturday in the penultimate week of July in the year of our Lord, 2023, that means our great God has good things in store for us down here, otherwise He would have taken us home last night. So, let’s give thanks and praise and celebrate his awesome goodness and mercy, His LOVING-kindness to the undeserving children of men. 

And we’ll begin by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 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!’ 

Oh my fellow believers, every time we offer up that prayer, something happens in my soul, like an extra slice of peace and quiet comes to it, as those sincere words of LOVE and desire for our heavenly Father float heavenwards. But that’s the awesome power of communicating with Him! I don’t believe that there’s ever a time we go to God with sincere hearts and come away completely empty-handed. We might not get what we wanted, but just talking with Him enriches our spirits and gives us a different outlook on the situation. 

No, we might not be happy about the outcome of our conversation, but the underlying aura of godly communication certainly enhances the peace and contentment of soul and spirit that we’re seeking. Oh friends, our God is indeed a great and wonderful God, but like our earthly fathers, He doesn’t always give us what we want, especially if He knows that it’s bad for us, or goes against his will and plan for our lives. 

And though we might come away empty handed from the throne of grace, it’s very important to note one scripture in particular, which will give you courage to bear up under the disappointment. It’s these marvellously encouraging words from Bruh Paul’s missive to the Roman church. Say it with me: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom. 8:28) 

Wow! What an awesome scripture! And what that scripture does friends, is make us know that though we don’t get all we want when we want it, that in the long run, all that God is doing is for our benefit and it will all work out for our good in the end. That’s because He has only our best interests at heart. Like he says in Jeremiah: ‘But I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope) (Jer. 29:11)

Yes, our heavenly Father only desires the best for us which means getting involved in the plan that He has for each one of our lives. Only when we do that are we guaranteed to reach our full potential, to fulfill our destiny, the one He’s prepared for us from before the world was made. 

But the problem there is that God’s plans don’t often coincide or dovetail with our own, or those of this evil and ungodly world, and unless we suck it up like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion and say with sincere resignation: ‘Whatever yes Lord. I’m not thrilled with the situation, but your will be done and not mine,’ then we’ll never have peace of mind and live the abundant life that Jesus died for us to have. 

And I’m talking here from personal experience, because when the Lord called me to write this Bit, I said, no way! I didn’t want to do it, because it interfered with my worldly endeavours, and besides I wasn’t qualified in any way shape or form to do such an important undertaking. But the Lord persisted, and believe me, when He really wants you, He WILL get you! 

So, I eventually capitulated, and here I am some sixteen years later doing His will to the best of my ability, and it’s important to note, with His help and overwhelming faithfulness. I could not have done it without His leading and guidance. When I look back and see the baby footsteps with which I began, I have to laugh. Just a verse or two from the Bible, and maybe a single comment from me. Now, I’ve reached the stage where I have to curtail my writing. (smile) 

And please don’t think it was easy, because it was not. It took perseverance and patience and learning the Word. But I can assure you it was, and still is most interesting. That’s the thing, you never know the joys and pleasures you’ll encounter working for Jesus until you work for Him. And I’ve had some tough times down through the years, but He’s always pulled me through them, and also blessed me with some wonderful times that I could never have imagined. 

The long and short of the story friends, is that if the Lord is calling you to do something special in His name, then the sooner you agree, the better off you’ll be. And don’t be afraid, because as He’s faithfully promised, He’ll never leave nor forsake you, and will be with you every step of the way, providing the tools you need to do the job He desires of you. 

Now, the Lord is a hard taskmaster, expects a lot from His workers, but there’s no better employer to work for, because His benefits are wonderful, not only are they worldly but also heavenly! Wow! No other employer can promise the benefits that Jesus offers, so please, let’s get wise, wake up from our foolish slumber, and choose to sincerely work for Him nuh. We’ll never regret it! Much LOVE!

…working for Jesus…is the best job going… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 July 2023 Psalm 40:4.

21 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 40:4.       Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Then it was Friday, with all its fanfare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend’s here!’ And though Friday opened a tad on the cool side, it promises great things, like sunshine and blue skies. But beware, the promises of the weather these days are not very trustworthy, what with all the instability and unpredictability that’s showing up in the disaster we term climate change. (smile) 

Promises on the whole in our unfaithful and distrustful society are no longer worth the paper they‘re written on or the wind on which they’re spoken, because most of them are made to serve selfish and evil purposes. They’re not like the promises of Almighty God who faithfully makes them and never breaks them. 

But sadly, even in these trying times, when many things are not what they seem, we still appear to accept the promises of man more than those of God. Even when the biggest human activity today is fraud and deceit, where scams are prevalent in almost everything, where you’re afraid to pick up your phone because the person on the other side is most likely trying to defraud you out of your life savings or some such ungodly act, we still tend to trust humans more than God. 

And then, when we suffer the irreversible damage, we whine and complain about people not being honest and not keeping promises etc. etc. But haven’t we read the Bible, which warns us so often about trusting man and his offspring. Haven’t we read since Moses was a boy, (smile) what Psalm 118 so directly says: ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps. 118:8-9) 

Yes friends, man’s trust can, and will waver, be he an important personage or lowly nobody, simply because he is man; a frail, feeble sinful, greedy and imperfect creation. However, God’s trust will never waver because He is the exact opposite of mankind; strong, holy and perfect! And the Good Library repeats it over and over. So, if you don’t believe me, then let’s look at some of those scriptures which deal directly with the wisdom of trusting God and not man. 

Listen to Bruh David as he writes in Psalm 40 – Praise for God’s Deliverance. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps. 40:1-4) 

There we have it friends, simple and straightforward. You trust in the Lord and He will see you through, because He has the awesome power to do it, whereas mankind doesn’t! Now hear how Isaiah puts it. ‘Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay (rely) on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord… Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen (helped) shall fall (perish) together.’ (Is. 31:1, 3) 

That was the Lord’s rebuke to Israel for going down to Egypt for help to fight their enemies without first consulting Him. Then Jeremiah calls it this way. ‘Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man (man’s strength), and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath (a shrub) in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.’ (Jer. 17:5-6) 

Ah mih people, yuh see how the Lord is mightily displeased when we don’t come to Him first in all our endeavours, when we don’t show Him the amazing trust that He deserves! And these words of psalm 146, serve as a fitting end to our scriptures for today.

 ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah), Praise ye the Lord, O my soul. While I live I will praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (salvation). His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever.’ (Ps. 146:1-6) 

Now there’s a perfect picture of the wise man! Please my fellow saints, it’s of the utmost importance, especially in these untrustworthy times, that we don’t put our trust in evil and fragile man, but in the Lord God Almighty who created us and always has our best interests at heart. So, let’s go to the throne of grace now, and through our Friday Chant, ask for divine help to solve our many problems. 

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

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as always, the best way to get divine help is by changing our ways and becoming obedient to God’s will. Much LOVE!

…trust should only be placed in the trustworthy…that’s God and not man…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 July 2023 Romans 10:14a.

20 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Romans 10:14a.       How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?

Now Thursday hasn’t opened as nicely as Wednesday did. Oh, it’s fairly sunny and cool, but there’s a bit of cloud cover which Wednesday did not have, and that has therefore lowered it in the spectrum of summer sunny days. (smile) But life is still good, we’re alive and thankful to our great and wonderful God for allowing us to see another day on His wonderful planet Earth. And believe me, many people did not get that opportunity to see today, so we’d better had be really thankful, for who knows if this might be our last one. 

And furthermore, the Lord allowed us to see today because He has kingdom work for us to perform. Yes friends, that’s one of the reasons we’re here, in this place and time, to do God’s will, the plans He’s prepared for us even before we were formed in our mother’s womb. That means we’re not just random figures, but important pre-planned workers for God’s kingdom, labourers in the harvest of the lost and sinful, a harvest that is now exceedingly ripe and ready for reaping. 

So, it behooves us to get out there and begin reaping the harvest, instead of just lolling on our fat fannies, talking nonsense, gossiping and complaining like so many of us supposed kingdom labourers are doing. Remember Jesus’ words on the subject to the disciples? ‘The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth the labourers into his harvest.’ (Matt. 9:37-38) 

Yes my brethren, the lost and sinful were in great numbers in Jesus’ time here on earth, but with more people on the earth now, the numbers are even greater than before, and unfortunately look to be increasing, as more people seem to be leaving Christ’s church than are joining it. And who’s fault is that? Ours obviously! Because we have been ever so reluctant, lazy, afraid and whatever to get out into the world and live sincerely for Jesus. 

But that’s our job. That’s what Jesus commissioned us to do. ‘Go ye 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, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19-20) 

And that’s our raison d’etre my people, our purpose for being on planet earth right now, to win souls to Christ, to reduce the numbers that will be lost when Christ comes again. Remember Peter’s words on the subject? ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Pet. 3:9b) So who knows, the Lord might just be waiting for us to get out there and get busy, being the true salt and light of the world, bringing more people to Him in sincere repentance, before sending Jesus back. 

And to bear out the truth of that statement, Jesus promised: ‘And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John 6:39-40) So you see both the Father and Son are very much interested in saving as many souls as possible, but they are depending on us to be the guiding light that brings others to them. 

That brings us to one of my favourite scriptures; the way Bruh Paul voices the dilemma of bringing people to Christ in his letter to the church at Rome. ‘How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. …So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom. 10:14-15, 17) 

Ah my fellow believers, that says it all! People can only hear about the gospel of Christ if others go to them and tell them about it; others there meaning we believers. They will never know the glad tidings of good things that Jesus’ gospel of peace holds until we step up to the plate, in whatever capacity, preacher, comforter, friend, and tell them about it. That’s why the overflowing and abundant harvest that’s ever so ripe for harvesting will only be reaped according to the effort that we labourers, we believers put into it. 

And let’s remember that if we don’t get up and do a good job, asap, that many souls will be lost to Christ, be eternally separated from Almighty God, the worst fate that can ever befall a human soul, and the fault for many of them being lost will lie right on our lazy, uninterested and weak shoulders. And when the Lord asks why we were not more diligent in seeking souls for His kingdom, what answer will we give eh? We didn’t think it was our job, or we were just lazy and disinterested. Those answers won’t hold any water my people. So please, please, let’s get busy and do our bounden duty nuh, so that no souls will be lost when Christ returns. 

Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings which were so generously bestowed on us by the Father, so that we can go out and do the very work we’re talking about. 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 activated those blessings, it’s our duty to now go out and share them just as generously with those we meet, so that Christ’s kingdom can be furthered! Much LOVE

…a harvest will only be successful reaped…if there are enough willing harvesters… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 July 2023 Ephesians 6:11.

19 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 6:11.      Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.

Oh friends, this Wednesday is going to be another glorious summer’s day! It might not be boiling hot, but it’s sunny, nice and cool, just the way I like it! (smile) After being in this climate of changing seasons for so long, it seems like I can’t handle the heat as well I use to it. I guess it’s like the old people would say; after one time is two. And isn’t it amazing that for almost every scenario in our lives today, we can quote something from our fathers and forefather’s generations that tie in so nicely with them. It just goes to show that the basics of life don’t change that much from generation to generation. 

As Cousin Sol so wisely said, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes: ‘The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.’ (Eccl. 1:10) And that’s basically true, for though we might have some new inventions, our basic behaviour and the things we do through this life are just like the ancients did. Get up, work, eat, sleep, party, be sinful, and hopefully praise God, while LOVING each other, then die. 

It’s only the how, not the why, that’s been changed down through the ages. We have invented ways to live better, but also ways to be more sinful and ungodly, and, unfortunately, the latter behaviour is what’s currently ruling the roost in our world, which is a crying shame! One would have thought that by now, with all of our enlightened accomplishments and vast learning, mankind would have realized that godliness is ever so much better than evil doing and sinfulness. But no, the devil has gotten his evil claws into so many of us, that godliness is running in second place in our world, and a far second place too. 

This however is wholly unacceptable my fellow believers. We cannot allow the evil doers to control our world, especially after all the sacrifices our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ made on our behalf! No! We have to get up, put away our fear, or whatever is holding us back, and attack the enemy full force, mano a mano, not run away from him like scared rabbits, as so many of us are now doing. Jesus stood up staunchly for us, it’s now our turn to stand up staunchly for Him, and He’s already given us all the tools to do the job, the great Commission, that He desires of us. 

And it’s all so easy; tell people about Him and the good things He wants to share with them, and live in a manner that will cause others to want what we have, the intimate relationship with Him. But it does mean putting ourselves out, sacrificing and not always living the easy, carefree, doh care life. And that’s what so many of us supposed believers shy away from. With all the wonderful amenities in our world, it’s become so easy to just relax on our lollies and do almost nothing, but still exist. 

And with the recent upgrade and breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence, brother, we’ll be doing even less than before, because this new invention will even think for us. Are we on our way to obsolescence my people? Who knows, but it ought to give us definite cause for concern, when our society is already filled with all sorts of fakes and untruthfulness, now we’re going to be even less sure if a real person was involved in a particular situation or thing, or whether it was the work of Artificial Intelligence. 

It’s already such a big part of our world, and without proper regulations, it’s only going to get bigger, more pervasive and more distrustful, like all of mankind’s inventions, especially with the evil and untrustworthy minds that are currently at the forefront of our world. And if any serious and worthwhile changes are going to be made in our world, it will have to be through the loud voices of Christians, because we are the only group who seem to want goodness, mercy and the LOVE of God to flourish. 

But that’s our very problem; our voices aren’t being heard, because they’re not plentiful or loud enough to make a difference, and until we make them loud and plentiful, nothing will ever change! That’s why I’m calling on us to rise up today, as one solid and unified body of Christ, His marvellous church, and dare the evil doers to stop us from taking over our heavenly Father’s world! It’s well known that evil doers are basically bullies who take advantage of their strengths, but are basically cowards underneath, and this is indeed a challenge for us believers to get on our horses and ride, ride for Jesus, like we should have been doing long ago! 

And it’s important that we don’t just rush in willy nilly without a proper plan and proper safeguards. That means before we go into battle, we must put on the whole armour of God! As Bruh Paul wrote to the Ephesians: ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph. 6:10-11) Then in verse 12, he goes on to explain that it’s not a physical battle we’re fighting, but a spiritual one. However, we still need protection even in spiritual battles, just a different kind. And what’s that you ask? 

Briefly speaking, it’s the truth of Christ girding your waist; the breastplate of righteousness guarding your chest; the eagerness of the gospel of peace on your feet; the shield of faith with which to divert the fiery arrows of the enemy; the helmet or hope of salvation to protect your head; the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God to fell your enemies, and finally prayer, which brings everything under its vital umbrella and without which no battle can be won! 

So we have all that we need to fight the enemy, except the courage and desire to do it. But please, let’s remember that our great ‘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) That means the only thing holding us back is our desire to engage the enemy, because we have everything else. And, sadly, that desire must come from deep within each of us, it must be a personal desire to sacrifice on Christ’s behalf. No one can make us do it. 

And for those of us who are willing to put up that fight, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful, irreversible position in Christ Jesus. Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if we endure to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s promise ourselves to see it nuh! Much LOVE!

…fighting the good fight for Christ…is the believer’s bounden duty… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 July 2023 Daniel 9:3.

18 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Daniel 9:3.       And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

And it looks like it’s going to be a glorious summer Tuesday in my neck of the woods! Praise the Lord! Except that I have to drive into the big metropolis of Toronto this afternoon for a doctor’s appointment. Chuh! Usually, I would take the Government’s Go Bus and enjoy a cool, quiet and stressless ride, and do the same thing coming back. But unfortunately, some wise Alec, and I’m being nice and Christian there, decided to change the bus route for their own convenient purposes and threw a lot of people out of convenient transportation. 

And they didn’t even have the good manners to ask for queries or inform the public that it was going to happen. They just threw it up unexpectedly. And it’s not like it wasn’t a profitable route, because the bus was always well stocked with commuters, especially students going to school in Toronto. One friend who’s been taking the bus for several years now, summer, spring, winter and fall, don’t know how she did it, now has to stay all week in Toronto with her daughter and be away from the rest of her family because what’s available is now too inconvenient. 

And to top it all off, the mighty city of T.O. doesn’t want people driving into its congested, under construction and badly paved roadways, but yet they are allowing convenient, profitable bus routes into the city to be discontinued. As the man would say, ‘beat me down yes!’ (smile) But that’s my rant for today. Now let’s see what the Lord has to say about it all. And the Good Library opened today unto the Book of the prophet Daniel at this particular spot where he was about to pray for His people Israel during their seventy year captivity in Babylon. 

It states: ‘And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful (awesome) God, keeping the covenant and mercy (LOVING-kindness) to them that LOVE him, and to them that keep his commandments. We have sinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgements: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings and princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.’ (Dan. 9:3-6) 

Now my fellow believers, unless we are the devil’s own children, we will agree that our society is very reminiscent of the one Daniel was referring to way back then in Israel! For we have indeed rebelled against the rules of God and committed such iniquity, iniquity that’s never ever been seen before in all the days of mankind on the earth. And I just have to sadly shake my head when I think of some of the stuff that routinely goes on in our most wonderful and enlightened society. Steups! I hope you caught the sarcasm. 

Like mankind is just going out of his way to search for the worst kind of iniquity possible. Instead of seeking for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, we’re adamantly seeking for the kingdom of Satan and his evilness. It seems like the most depraved, vile, nefarious, pernicious and corrupt situations are what we are consistently after. It must be, if we have no place for God in our hearts and are demanding He be driven out of our society. 

But as the Good Library and I keep saying, that’s a fool’s wisdom, something that will NEVER happen, because the Lord God Almighty, Creator and Controller of this mighty universe, will not allow himself to be kicked out of what He created. Now, He might allow a lot of sinful and iniquitous nonsense to go on for a time, like how a cat plays with a mouse before it finally delivers it from its torture, but the day of the wicked and its purveyor of wickedness Satan are numbered. 

The Good Library tells us in the Book of Revelation, that after the Millennium reign of Christ, during which time the devil will be locked up and unable to tempt anyone, he will be released and continue with his stupid actions, causing the wicked to fight the saints of God. But then, after the last battle, here’s what happens. ‘And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.’ (Rev. 20:10) 

Oh my people, however you want to put it, the simple fact is that Satan and his minions, any who are foolish enough to follow his deceitful and evil ways, will eventually be destroyed. That’s the long, short and in between of the story. And it’s been repeated over and over throughout the whole of the Good Library. So, I don’t understand how we can continue with the foolish and unwise action of listening to Satan and doing his evil deeds, when certain destruction is in the offing for evil doers. 

And as Daniel said way back then: ‘As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.’ (Dan. 9:13) Yes friends, despite all the evil both in and around us, we still refuse to take our problems to the God of the universe who has faithfully promised to help us in every and any way necessary, so that we can live righteously, for Him and His kingdom. 

Apparently, the lure of Satan and his fake and fancy baubles and bangles are greater than the imperishable rewards that will be stored in heaven for the righteous. As usual, with our greedy lust of the eyes, we want to see it before we believe it. But I definitely don’t want to be there when those who fall for Satan’s lies and deceptions see their promised destruction coming upon them. Now, let’s hope that what we’ve said has gotten home to all of us, and will deter us from turning away from Almighty God and keep us revelling in His awesome grace and mercy. 

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

Now let’s get out into the evil and ungodly world and share that awesome and amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…it’s time for Christians to stop talking…and instead get to doing some serious action for Christ… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 July 2023 John 14:15.

17 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

John 14:15.        If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.

Come Monday, we’ll be alright! Yes, friends, come Monday, we’ll be alright, because we have Jesus, our Lord and Saviour looking after us through His Holy Spirit! But it won’t all just automatically fall in our laps; we also have some responsibilities to fulfil. Like first believing in Jesus, accepting Him sincerely as Lord and Savour; then doing the things He desires of us, like being obedient to His commands and following the lead and guidance of His Holy Spirit. 

And that’s why many of us supposed believers are finding it difficult to make any serious headway in this evil and ungodly world. How can you reap the benefits of something when you’re not fulfilling the requirements eh? Listen to how Jesus put it to the disciples, and consequently to us. ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) Now that’s quite plain and straightforward. If you’re truly for Jesus, then the first thing you need to do is what He asks of you. It’s the same with any group or organization; you follow the rules and guidelines if you want it to function properly. 

However, not all rules or commandments are easy to follow, but Jesus also promised heavenly help to help us follow His commandments. Listen as He continues: ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (Helper), that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless, (as orphans): I will come to you.’ (John 14:16-18) 

Yes my fellow believers Jesus promised to send us divine help from heaven when He returned there, divine help that will be with us forever, in the person of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, our Triune Godhead. Back then the Holy Spirit was with some people, as an outward force, but Jesus promised that eventually it would dwell within all believers, which happened on Pentecost Day when the followers were sitting in the upper room in Jerusalem waiting for Jesus to keep that promise. 

The Bible tells us: ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4) And that was the official birth of the Christian Church, when the Holy Spirit, the promised Helper, the Comforter began indwelling each believer as they came to Christ. 

Now let’s look a little closer at the purpose(s) of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. Jesus said to the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Helper) which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever things have said unto you.’ (John 14:25-26) There we see that the Holy Spirit is a teacher in its own right, as well as a reminder of the things that Jesus taught in His earthly sojourn. 

For example, per the scholars; ‘The Holy Spirit would enable the apostles to remember all the words and works of Jesus when they were writing the New Testament.’ Now that was what Jesus would be doing for the disciples, meanwhile the disciples were expected to use Jesus words and works and the power of the Holy Spirit to bear fruit for His kingdom, that’s help others to come to know and LOVE Him. And in chapter 15 of John, as always, Jesus spells it out plain and simple, using the analogy of a grapevine to explain the divine-human relationship. 

He was the vine, and the Father, the vinedresser or caretaker of the vine. And the vine dresser is continually pruning the vine, so that it can bear more and better fruit. (John 15:1-3) Then He delves even deeper: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ ( John 15:4-5) 

Now that says it all right there friends! Unless we abide in Jesus, and He in us, we are worthless to bear fruit, to do productive work for the kingdom. So you see, like all covenants are, this covenant of the New Testament is a two-way street, with each side having responsibilities to fulfill. Jesus has already fulfilled His part by sacrificing His life to save us, then sending the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, teach and remind us of our duties. Now it’s our turn to do our thing; that’s read and study His word so that we can keep His commandments, then share it, and above all, live in LOVE, the way He desires of us. 

Jesus spells it out loud and clear: ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you.’ (John 15:12) It could not get any clearer or simpler than that my fellow saints. So, shall we continue letting Jesus down by not living in LOVE, like He prescribes? Or are we going to change, step up to the plate and make Him proud of us? I surely hope and pray that we’ll do the latter as we see the evil and ungodliness of our world becoming more prevalent each and every day, with more and more people falling by the wayside as a result. 

Therefore, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s go to the throne of grace seeking the divine help we so badly need. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. 

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!’ 

And if we truly want to have heavenly help, then we need to improve our earthly ways. It’s as simple as that! Much LOVE!

…the Holy Spirit is ready, willing and able…are we ready to fulfill…our part of the New Testament Covenant…  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 July 2023 John 6:37.

16 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 July 2023   John 6:37.

John 6:37.       All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise (certainly not) cast out.

It’s Sunday friends, the day we gather in the Lord’s Sanctuary to give Him all the glory that He so rightly deserves! There’s no better time to be had than when believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob get together to praise and worship our Triune God! The gathering just resounds with joy and fine fellowship as we thank God for abundant life and Jesus Christ. 

So, let’s get the festivities rolling with a song we haven’t sung for a while. I was lying in bed thinking what we should sing today when this beautiful song just floated into my mind, one that I LOVE everlasting. (smile) It was written and recorded by Fernando Ortega in 1999, as well as by several other artists, my favourite version being the live, soulful one by Christian vocalist Danny Gokey with an amazing choir in the background, the haunting piano and strings. Now, let’s give it up for Jesus, as we offer up our soulful, harmonious sacrifices of praise through the song, ‘Give Me Jesus!’  

Singing: ‘Ohhh ohhh, Give me Jesus… In the morning, when I rise In the morning, when I rise In the morning, when I rise Give me Jesus. (Chorus: Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, Just give me Jesus.) When I am alone, Oh When I am alone, When I am alone, Give me Jesus. (Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, Just give me Jesus. For He is all that I need. Just give me Jesus) When I come to die, Oh, When I come to die, When I come to die, Give me Jesus. 

(Ohhhh Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, Just give me Jesus. Oh it’s all I need, all I need is Jesus. So Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, Just give me Jesus. Give me Jesus, He’s all I need. Give me Jesus…in the morning when I rise…when I lay my head down… when I wake up, when I lay my head down, said I need him, said I need you… said I only want Jesus…when I wake up… Just give me Jesus. All I need is him. We worship you, we worship you Lord. You’re the answer to my prayers, you’re the calm in the storm, you’re my rest and my refuge…oh yeahhh… Just give me Jesus!’ 

And that’s the indisputable truth of the matter my people: Jesus is all we ever need in this life, for He is our Lord and Saviour, who provides for all our needs! He gave His sinless life so that our sins could be forgiven and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. What more can one ask eh? Absolutely nothing! 

And this song is the epitome of the need for seeking Jesus? Why? Listen to this commentary: ‘Have you felt like you’re getting weak and losing hope? Are there situations in your life that you would like to give up? Then bear your ears for a moment, this song “Give Me Jesus” will strengthen your faith in God. A song that will change your beliefs and will help you have a greater relationship with God.’ 

And they give this testimonial to prove it. ‘Moreover, this is the song sang by the old soul Mo Pitney. “Give Me Jesus” actually strengthened his faith in God. It helped his marriage become stronger and made him a responsible father.’ Mo Pitney was a troubled country music star when he recorded this song and things turned around dramatically for him. And if it can do it for him, it can do it for any and all of us. 

And why should we seek God early each day? This other insightful commentary tells us: ‘Every morning, let’s be mindful that the day is a gift from God, and we are alive on this earth for a reason. At the start of every day, we should re-submit our will to His in order to fulfill our purpose.’ Mama oh Mama! That’s the gospel truth! Every day we ought to renew our relationship with God, giving Him thanks and praise for allowing us to see another glorious day on planet earth, and finding out His will for us that day. 

And furthermore, that’s what Jesus did. The gospel of Mark relates it thus: ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary (secluded) place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35) Yes friends, Jesus rose early every morning to have time to talk to His Father, and if the first-born Son of God needed to talk to God every day, then his adopted sons ought to do likewise. 

And here’s another reason why calling for Jesus is important. “We sing “Give Me Jesus” because we want what He wants. He is the One who prayed that we would be with Him and see His glory (John 17:24).” And what does that verse say? ‘Father, I will (desire) that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou LOVEDST me before the foundation of the world.’ 

‘We sing “Give Me Jesus” because we trust we have been given to Him, and we believe His promise that we will never be cast out (John 6:37). And that says: ‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise (certainly not) cast out.’ There you have it my fellow saints, Jesus’ faithful promise that whoever comes to Him will be with Him forever! You can’t get a more faithful promise than that. 

And if you’re worried about Jesus taking care of you, then please don’t, for Psalm 55 tells us quite plainly: ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps. 55:22) And you can bet your bottom dollar on that my fellow believers, because our great God is ever faithful! 

And we’ll cement that with two other translations of Psalm 55:22. The first is from the New Living Translation (NLT) that says: ‘Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.’ Then there’s this from the Message translation: “Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.” 

In other words: ‘God LOVES us with unconditional LOVE, He forgives our transgressions, and He takes care of us. By faith and with prayer, give up your worries, burdens, and fears to God. During trials and temptation, He sustains and strengthens the faithful. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.’ 

Now, if after hearing all that faithful stuff, you still have doubts about putting your trust in Jesus, then I really don’t know what to say, except to keep on trying. Much LOVE!

…Jesus is the answer…but you’ll never know it…until you put your trust in Him… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 July 2023 Jeremiah 29:13.

15 Jul 2023 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.

And it’s a cool, cloudy morning, with rain in the offing, but it’s the perfect kind of atmosphere for a lazy-day Saturday my bredrin! Where you don’t need to do anything or go anywhere, but just relax and laze some time away in idle but not evil thinking. (smile) Hopefully though, within that lazy time, we will communicate with our heavenly Father, for although doing nothing is sometimes an option, disregarding Him, is never one! 

And if there’s one thing our heavenly likes better than one on one communication is corporate worship, because it shows Him that there is unity in the body of Christ, and with the general state of the world, that most certainly warms the cockles of His heart. So, let’s communicate with Him right now through our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one sincere 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!’ 

Oh my people, that prayer never ceases to touch me! I guess because it brings home to me the awesome presence and wonder of our great God spiritually interacting with us with amazing compassion and kindness as we humble ourselves and ask for His grace and mercy. Wow! I hope we realize what an awesome and amazing God we serve, one full of LOVE and tenderness towards His most precious but disobedient creation! 

Yes friends, when you truly seek to know the Lord, you’ll be surprised at the unusual and unexpected places you’ll find Him, see His unerring hand at work. It’ll be so unnatural that you’ll know without a doubt that it’s the hand of God moving in your life! Likewise with little things that will suddenly jump out at you. In the greater scheme of life, they’ll be small and insignificant, but somehow or the other they will make a big impact on you, opening your eyes to miraculous and mysterious ways in which our God moves. 

And one of the reasons I believe we don’t see out God more, or appreciate Him more, is because we tend to look for Him in the big things of life. However, He is more present and available, easier seen in the li’l, seemingly unimportant, everyday aspects of life. And a lazy-day Saturday is just the time to look for Him, to seek Him in all the most unusual and unexpected places. 

Remember what Moses said to the Israelites about repentance and seeking the Lord. ‘But if from thence (their disobedience and idol worship) thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” (Deut. 4:29) And many years later, on the Lord’s behalf, Jeremiah gave the Israelites the same warning, or solution for their problems during their captivity in Babylon. 

‘But I know the thoughts that I have 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 ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord…’ (Jer. 29:11-14) 

Ah friends, the message is still the same today. When we are in distress, when problems overwhelm us, or we’re simply lonely or aimless, whatever the situation, seeking God with our whole hearts is the wisest decision we can make! And how do we seek God with our whole hearts? One commentary gives us this answer: ‘When Jesus gave His life for us on that cross, when God prioritized our salvation above everything else, it wasn’t for us to make Him a side thought. But for us to surrender our lives to Him and embrace the one He has for us. This is how we seek God with our whole heart.’ 

And this other commentary encourages us: ‘God is a God hearing prayer; he listens to the requests of his people, and answers them in his own time and way; which is no small encouragement to pray unto him.’ That’s for sure! If He is our Creator, our Provider, our Heavenly Father and controls all that happens in our lives, it’s only logical and sensible that we need to seek Him out for help in our topsy-turvy lives. 

Seeking and searching are ever so important in our Christian faith my brethren. Jesus set the stage for that when He warned: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Then He followed it up by later declaring (yesss!!!) ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt. 7:7-8) 

That undoubtedly means that Christians should always be asking, seeking and knocking, looking for the truth in all situations, as well as seeking to open the hearts of others so that they too can know Jesus and seek and serve Him with their whole hearts. Oh my fellow saints, our Christian life is supposed to be one of action, always moving along a path that leads to Jesus, doing our best to personally seek and serve Him, as well as spread the good news of His gospel to the many who have never heard it. 

And we can only do that successfully if we are united, united as one church, one body of Christ. So, let’s begin today by seeking unity amongst ourselves nuh, let’s ask for it, knock on closed doors for it. Let’s desire and actively pursue a unity that will propel Christ’s church to the forefront of this world, its rightful place! Much LOVE!

…to seek…to search…to find…that is the Christian’s duty… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 July 2023 Revelation 21:5b.

14 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Revelation 21:5b.       And he (Jesus) said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Well, another Friday has rolled around, and all the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been rolled out! But the world still spins on its axis every 24 hours, and regardless of how it might seem with all the confusion and controversy currently existing, the Lord is still in control of the universe that He created from nothing, so long ago! Now that’s the reality of the situation, and until you recognize and acknowledge that, you will have a warped and incorrect of vision of life. And all God’s people said a loud and proud ‘Amen!’ (smile) 

But it’s the truth friends, until we recognize and acknowledge Almighty God as Creator and Controller of our universe, we’ll be living in a fairy tale world, and not a particularly nice one at that. You’ll be forever plagued by doubts and anxieties, because you’ll never be sure of what’s happening around you, and what to believe, what’s the truth of the situation, and thus you’ll be easily led astray, down the wide and destructive path promoted by the enemy. 

But when you believe, put your trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, surrender your soul to His Son Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven and sacrificed His sinless life to save yours from being drafted into the pit of hellfire and damnation, then your senses will be quietened, whatever circumstances that surround you won’t bother you as much, because then you will have the faithful promise of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit that indwells you, to help you handle them. 

Wow! Yes friends, then you’ll know the truth, because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the Father, than by and through Him! (John 14:6) And once you know that truth my fellow believers, that enormous truth will set you free from all the nonsense that’s happening in our world. For as Jesus also faithfully promised: ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) 

But there’s the crux of the matter: to know the truth we have to abide, live by His word, be His true and sincere disciples. And that’s not always easy to do, for here’s what Jesus had to say about becoming His disciple. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Now that’s obviously a tough row to hoe, because it can be filled with sacrifices, while denying oneself and giving up control of your life to the desires and demands of Christ’s plan. 

And though it’s not easy, it is the most beneficial and rewarding way to live this earthly life. Jesus won’t ever leave you alone, He faithfully promised that when he said to the disciples: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) That means He’ll look after you through His Holy Spirit that indwells you as a Comforter, Guide and Leader. And furthermore, He won’t ask you to do anything without giving you the grace, the mercy, strength, whatever you need to do it. He’ll never allow you to suffer more than you can bear, but will always find a way for you to escape the situation, or handle it with His mighty help! 

And above all, if you endure to the end with Christ, being a sincere disciple, abiding in Him, while He abides in you, then you can look forward to a glorious life everlasting with Him, in whatever wonderful place He decides to spend it, instead of being shunted off to the depths of hell with Satan and his evil cronies. And believe me, eternal life with our Triune God will be marvellous. Let’s take a peek at the basics. 

John the Revelator writes: ‘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 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 any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he (Jesus) said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev. 21:1-5) 

Wow mih bredrin! What a beautiful end to this miserable, hard-scrabble life that so many of us go through! But it will all be worth it in the end if we endure with Jesus! Can you imagine a world with no more, pain, crying, suffering and death! Mama Mia! That alone makes it worthwhile, not to mention living in the eternal presence of our God. 

Just think about the amount of pain, tears and ‘sufferation’ that’s currently enveloping our world nuh…and it tears apart your heart for most of it is unnecessary, and it’s simply man’s inhumanity to man, making countless millions mourn in an earthly hell. But when you live for Jesus, though you might need to undergo some suffering for His sake, the end rewards will indeed justify the pain of this earthly life. So, let’s be wise and live sincerely for Jesus now, so that we can bask in the sunshine of His marvellous glow later on. 

And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help to handle our current earthly problems. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we truly desire to receive positive help from heaven, then we must first improve our disobedient, ungodly ways. It’s as simple as that! Much LOVE!

…the ends of living for Jesus…certainly justify the means…  

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