Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 July 2021 Matthew 14:31b.

15 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 14:31b.     O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

And what’s going on this Thursday morning in mid-July of this blessed year of 2021 my friends? I know some of you will sneer and angrily ask what kind of blessed year are you talking about eh? Haven’t you seen what the pandemic and all the other negative stuff has done to our world? Yes. So how can you call the year blessed? 

Simply because we are still alive and kicking! Just waking up every day with enough strength in our body to talk and move and LOVE our friends and family is more blessing than we truly realize. It means that once we are alive, the Lord has not finished with us. He still has plans for our lives, otherwise He would have taken us home already. Remember what He said in Jeremiah? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope) (Jer. 29:11) Glory be, mih people! 

So that cliched saying is quite true: while there is life, there is hope. And with true faith in Almighty God, ANYTHING is possible once His awesome breath of life is still flowing through our mortal bodies. Consequently, regardless of what life might throw our way, we cannot lose hope or give up, because today might just be the day that our life and circumstances turn around through God’s amazing help. 

The problem there, is that we have to believe without seeing any real improvement or receiving any real encouragement. In the world, we accentuate that seeing is believing, but in God’s economy it’s the opposite; believing without seeing. With God, when you believe, then you’ll see. Most likely not before. And I think a particularly good example of that is when Jesus came walking on the water towards His disciples in the boat that was being tossed by the storm on the Sea of Galilee. 

The Good Book tells us: ‘And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit (ghost); and they cried out in fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer (take courage); it is I, be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he (Jesus) said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.’ (Matt. 14:26-29) 

Now friends, that’s what faith, hope, and belief can do for you. Peter apparently was the only one bold enough, with enough faith in Jesus, to venture out on the water. But unfortunately, the situation changed very quickly when Peter’s hope and bravery failed, and his fear took over. The Good Book continues: ‘But when he (Peter) saw the wind boisterous (violent), he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Matt. 14:30-31) 

And that’s the crux of the problem right there my brethren, our doubt. We talk a good talk, but when the chips are down, our doubt and fear takes over, and that’s when we begin sinking. If Peter had not doubted, or become afraid, he would have kept on walking on the water with Jesus. But it’s our fears and doubts that keep us from achieving what God truly has in store for us, that stop us from receiving all the blessings He has set aside in our name. 

And it’s important to note what happened after that incident. Turning to the Good Book again, we read: ‘And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.’ (Matt. 14:32-33) Yuh see friends, it’s only after the disciples had seen Jesus’ power, that they conceded that He was truly the Son of God. And that’s how we still behave, although we know better. 

And before I forget, here is some interesting info from the scholars on the subject. ‘14:28-32. Peter answered him in his characteristically impulsive manner. This part of the story is recounted only by Matthew, who was in the boat and on whom it must have made a deep impression. The incident is not presented as a parable, but as an actual event involving three miracles. Jesus walks on the water. Peter temporarily does so, and the wind ceases immediately.’ 

Unfortunately, today, we too only believe when we see big miracles. But God doesn’t do that many big ones again. He now specializes in many small ones in our individual lives. But we either ignore them completely, or simply chalk them up to chance or coincidence. But people, there is no chance and/or coincidence in our lives. Everything that happens is vetted by our heavenly Father, whether He begins it or not. And He doesn’t allow us to handle more than we can bear. So, let it be known, that whatever comes against us, we have the heavenly, the divine power to handle it. So there is no need to fear whatever the world throws at us. 

That in a nutshell is our message today my faithful saints in Christ. Let’s stand up strong and fight life through, because our God is always with us to help us, and there is none as powerful, as Him in this universe that He has created. Let’s believe that today, and every day, so we can be divinely empowered. And here is one of the ways God empowers us; through generously bestowing what we call our Thursday Blessings on us, blessings that enable us to do His earthly work diligently and excellently. 

So let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) them now nuh, so that they can be made manifest in our lives. Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

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

Now, let’s go out and share those awesome blessings just as generously with others, so that they too can come to know Christ and also get to enjoy His benefits. Much LOVE!

…if you want to see God…yuh better had first believe that He’s there… (smile) 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 July 2021 Psalm 103:5.

14 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 103:5.     Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Well it’s Wednesday, the middle day of the work week, and life’s humming along, not necessarily wonderfully, but humming along it is! (smile) That’s the thing about life; nothing stops it from moving along, not rain, snow or shine, not war, famine or disease, not disaster nor good times. Despite all the many things that can, and do happen, life just keeps on chugging along as though nothing but itself exists. 

And that’s why it is ofttimes so difficult to deal with life, since it seems like it doesn’t care. And to tell the truth, life doesn’t really care nuh, it has a job to do, and it just does it. Who can blame it eh? (smile) Wish we could be so tunnel-visioned about our job with Jesus. 

And here is why we ought to be so focussed on Jesus and His work. This poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin shines a bright and eye-opening light on the beauty and benefits of serving Jesus. It’s aptly titled ‘Lord You LOVE to say Yes.’ 

Please pray with me. ‘Lord, I asked you for abundant life Rich, challenging, full of adventure And You said Yes. I asked You for an undisturbable joy Independent of transitory change And You said Yes. I asked You to thread my tears into a song When I was shattered and torn with grief And You said Yes. I asked You to steady me when I staggered – To hold me when I struggled To seize me when I resisted And You said Yes. 

I asked You to forgive my vain grasping My foolish fears, my willful pride And You said Yes. I asked You to be my Helper, my Friend My light in the darkness And You said Yes. I asked You to guide me all my life With Your wisdom, Your counsel Your captivating LOVE And You said Yes. Sometimes Lord I feel like a spoiled child Who gets whatever he asks for. You overwhelm me with joy. For you LOVE to say Yes!’  

Oh my fellow saints in Christ isn’t that beautiful…and ever so true? It certainly is! I’ve never thought about our life in Christ like that, but it definitely makes life a whole lot sweeter, better, more enjoyable and much easier to live, when you look at it from that perspective. We are indeed spoiled brats! With abundant life full of challenges and adventure. Then there’s joy everlasting…and even our tears and grief are threaded into a song. What more can one ask eh? 

Well, what about help in our struggles and disobedient times? There’s that too! As well as forgiveness for vain and prideful attitudes. And what about being just a normal Helper and Friend, a Guide in the darkness of life? We also have that! And then we are showered with wisdom and wise guidance…But most of all it’s the captivating LOVE that is available, that’s what really rocks the house! It’s the sugar and spice that truly livens up the whole concoction! 

Oh friends, please give our wonderful God much thanks and praise nuh for His amazing shepherding of our lost and inept souls nuh. And I really can’t say why we act the vapid and disobedient way we do, when He is so good to us. Instead, we should be more focussed on words and attitudes like those written about by Bruh David in Psalm 103, most appropriately sub-titled – Thanksgiving for God’s mercy. 

So please pray with me again…this is a morning of prayer. (smile) ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases: who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:1-5) And that last verse is our Bit as well as the Bible Promise on which the poem was based. 

Ah mih people, right there within those few verses we have a true exposition of God’s everlasting LOVE to His children, to those who choose to come under His big, marvellous and comforting umbrella called home. And the important thing to note there my brethren is that it’s a choice. The Lord doesn’t force us to come to Him and obey His dictates, for He has given us free-will in all our earthly doings. But to enjoy all that He has to offer, His magnanimous bounty, one has to consciously choose to enter His fold, believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and abide, as best as possible, by His regulations found in His Holy Word, the Bible. 

And for the life of me, I just can’t fathom why so many people choose not to enter God’s fold when it’s so wonderful. I guess it’s just because we value our free-will so much, and entering God’s fold means walking a straight and narrow path instead of the broad, vain, prideful and destructive one our sinful souls think we ought to walk. But please remember friends, that all our actions have consequences, and though our God is kind, generous and LOVING to a fault, He’s no pushover. His other attributes of righteousness and justice also have to be met, if He is to truly be the just and righteous God, He declares himself to be. 

That means there will be judgement and justice for wrongdoing. Yes friends, it’s not all fun and games with no penalties for disobedience and unrighteous behaviour. However, those who accept His fatherly guidance do enjoy a great life down here on earth, with the faithful promise of an even more glorious one in the near future. And for those of us who have bought into Christ’s promises, let’s go home now declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our oh so exciting and wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

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

And please remember that if we endure until the very end, that the future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. Much LOVE!

…to truly know Jesus…is to LOVE Him…with every beat of our heart…                                                                                                    

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 July 2021 2 Corinthians 5:21.

13 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 5:21.     For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Now what’s the good news this new Tuesday morning eh friends? Well, let me tell you about it… It’s big, it’s wonderful, it’s exciting and everlasting! Yes my bredrin, the good news this morning is that Jesus is LOVE! Wow! He’s the One whom we can turn to for all the necessities of life! And be assured that He won’t let us down. He’s the One who can heal us, who can lead and guide us successfully through every which kind of storm or problem. 

His is the power…and the glory…the joy and the promise of eternal salvation. He’ll pick you up when you fall, heal you when the world’s medics can’t, help you to hold on when you seem to be slipping, and comfort you when the cares of this evil and ungodly world get you down. Now, ONLY Jesus can do all of that my people! ONLY Jesus! 

So, if this Tuesday morning, in these pandemic times you need any of that stuff, then the best advice, the best thing you can do, is turn to Jesus; surrender your life to Him, make Him the captain and pilot of your life. I promise you that you will never regret it. In fact, when you look back at your life, you will recognize that it was the best decision you ever made! And you’ll jump for joy and sing His praises loud, while giving Him much thanks for the awesome work He’s done in your life. 

You’ll sit down and wonder, how you ever could have lived so long without Him, and bless His holy name that He finally came and found you and scooped you up in His wonderful comforting arms when your whole world was about ready to fall apart. Yes friends, that’s the kind of person our Jesus is! He comes to you when you are at your lowest point and picks you up both literally and figuratively and changes your whole life, brings it into alignment with His heavenly kingdom, providing hope for a brighter day, taking away the negativity that’s all this world offers. 

And you know what precious people, the most important thing is, when you accept him as Lord and Saviour, when you surrender your soul to Him, He never, never, never leaves nor forsakes you! Wow! He seals you as His child, as His brother, friend and co-heir in righteousness forever! Now how could the news get any better than that eh? 

But it does! In all that Jesus is and does, we find mercy, grace, forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life! And they endure forever, based on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, where He shed His holy, sinless blood so that we could be forgiven, took ALL of our sin on His shoulders and gave us His righteousness. And it says so right in the Bible, the Good Book, the Word of God: ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21) 

Now what does that verse mean eh? The first thing we need to understand was that Jesus NEVER sinned, as several Bible verses tell us. Hear John in his first epistle. ‘And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.’ (1 John 3:5) He came to take away sin, but had no sin Himself. And Peter in his first epistle, quoting Isaiah 53:9 says of Jesus. ‘Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in his mouth.’ (1 Pet. 2:22) 

Even the demons knew Him, as recorded in Mark when He cast them out of an unclean man. They said to Him: ‘Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.’ (Mark 1:24) So that all points to Jesus as being totally sinless. And furthermore, if He had even had one spot of sin on Him, then He would have ceased being God, and would therefore would not have been able to save us, or pay for our sins, because only a sinless being could do that. 

Anyway, I found this interesting explanation on the Biblical website ‘Got Question.’ It says: ‘If He became sin for us does not mean Jesus was sin, or a sinner, or guilty of sin, the proper interpretation can only be found in the doctrine of imputation. This is confirmed by the second part of 2 Corinthians 5:21: “So that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 

To impute something is to ascribe or attribute it to someone. On the cross, our sin was imputed to Christ. That is how Christ paid our sin debt to God. He had no sin in Himself, but our sin was imputed (attributed) to Him so, as He suffered, He took the just penalty that our sin deserves. At the same time, through faith, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us. Now we can stand before God sinless, just as Jesus is sinless. We are not righteous in ourselves; rather, Christ’s righteousness is applied to us. 

So, “God made him . . . to be sin for us” means that Jesus, although sinless, was treated as if He were not. Although He remained holy, He was regarded as guilty of all the sin in the world. Through imputation of our sin to Him, He became our substitute and the recipient of God’s judgment against sin. Having saved those who believe, He is now “our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” 

So that’s how we are saved; our sins were imputed to Jesus and now, all that He was and is, are imputed to us. ‘But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us (became for us) wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.’ (1 Cor. 1:30) 

And the scholars explain: ‘Because of the Father’s work we have become intimate with Christ Jesus. Paul concludes that all of the riches of salvation exist in Christ Jesus. All that the Corinthian believers are (and consequently all believers), they owe to Him. Thus it is not in oneself, or in party alignment, or in supposed human ability that any believer ought to glory. Paul tabulates the qualities that belong to the believer in Christ. Wisdom is not merely the acquisition of intellectual skills but the gaining of spiritual discernment based on the wisdom of God as demonstrated in the cross. 

Righteousness is a legal concept and has in mind the righteousness that is applied to the believer’s account the moment he believes (Rom. 5). Sanctification has already been mentioned in verse 2, “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” This contemplates the work of Christ “in” the believer, as opposed to that which he does “for” the believer in justification. Redemption underlies all the above. Christ’s redemptive work opened the way for God to extend His grace to sinful man and to pour out upon him such benefits as wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification.’ 

Mama Mia! What more can I say eh friends? Christ has done so much for us, that we would be very foolish not accept His selfless sacrifice, for if we don’t, we will, without a doubt, end up eternally separated from God. And that can by no means be a good thing! So, for those of us who are serious about accepting Christ, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know who and whose we are. 

Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

Our next step is to now go out and share that awesome LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know him. Much LOVE!

…without Jesus’ awesome sacrifice…where would be eh…heading directly for hell…with no means of escape…                                                                                                  

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


Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 July 2021 John 15:5b.

12 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

John 15:5b.        …for without me ye can do nothing.

Don’t look now friends, but it’s that big day, Monday, the first day of the new work week! (smile) And since some of those pandemic restrictions have been lifted, I guess more of us will be going back out to work today – some joyfully, others sadly, as their extended holiday is over. But let’s remember that whatever the circumstances, we can handle them successfully if we have the Holy Spirt of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ dwelling within us. That’s one of the many differences and improvements between believers and the infidel; with Jesus, we can do any and everything, through Him who strengthens us. Give Him thanks and praise my people! 

And how do we get and stay strong in Christ? Listen to His immortal words on the subject, to the disciples. ‘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.’ (John 15:4) How sweet is that eh mih bredrin! That’s how we get and stay strong in Christ. And if you didn’t get it the first time, He goes on to further explain. ‘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 15:5) 

Wow! How direct and to the point is Jesus eh! Unless we stick with Him, we cannot do anything! And that’s the gospel truth my people! It’s only with Christ as the catalyst and moving agent in our life that we are able to do anything truly worthwhile down here on planet earth. 

And the scholars give us some useful info on that verse, re the Union with Christ.‘15:5. The uniqueness of the Christian experience results from the union of Christ and the believer. This is expressed in Scripture as Christ being in the believer and the believer in Christ. Ten times Paul uses the Greek preposition sun (“together”) to describe this relationship. Believers were crucified (Gal. 2:20), dead (Col. 2:20), buried (Rom. 6:4), quickened or made alive (Eph. 2:1-5; Col. 2:13), raised (Col. 3:1; Eph. 2:6), seated (Eph. 2:6), and glorified (Rom. 8:17) together with Christ. 

Illustration: Jesus used the image of the vine and its branches to describe His union with the believer. Application: On the basis of this union, the apostle Paul showed how the successful Christian life can be opened with four key words in Romans 6: know (vs. 6), reckon (vs. 11), yield (vs. 13), and obey (vs. 17). The Christian can conquer sin because Christ lives in him (Gal. 2:20). (First Ref. John 7:37-38; Primary Ref. John 15:1-5; cf. 1 John 5:13).’ 

Well, there you have it friends, our Bible Study for today! (smile) Lots of Scriptures for us to look up. And please do look them up, for it will be to our benefit, as they will only enhance our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word. It’s all about inner growth or spiritual maturity my people. And that takes us to Bruh Paul’s prayer for just that in his missive to the church at Ephesus. 

‘That He (Christ) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye , being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:16-19) 

Oh Mama, Mama! What a powerful prayer! And the scholars explain it all thus: ‘3:16-19. In these verses Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by His Spirit (vs. 16), that is, that they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life. (2) That the readers be able to comprehend…the LOVE of Christ, that is to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’ 

Now that does sound like a big programme for believers to undertake, but Bruh Paul knew what he was doing. Listen to how he ends that passage nuh. ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph. 3:20-21) Yes friends, Bruh Paul was not making those prayer requests for too much, because he was asking the One who could do ever so much more than we can ask or think; that’s Almighty God. 

So please don’t think that you can’t do anything because it’s too big for you. It might seem so, but it is definitely not too big for our God; the One who created us and still LOVES us dearly, despite all our faults and failures. That means we can go to Him right now with our problems and ask for His awesome help. So as one strong, confident, but humble voice, let’s offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

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

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

But let me warn us, that we won’t get our desires unless we sincerely turn away from our evil ways and seek God with right motives in our hearts! Much LOVE!

…we can never sell God short…for He is bigger than anything we can ask or imagine…                                                                                          

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 July 2021 Mark 4:40.

11 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

Mark 4:40.     Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?

Awright friends, time to get excited, hopefully we’ll be going into stage 3 of the pandemic reopening next week, meaning we can then have about fifty percent capacity in our churches. Isn’t that good news? It surely is! For the first time in over a year it might make sense to reopen, although I believe some of the pandemic regulations like masks and physical distancing might still be in place. But whatever happens, today is Sunday, which means we ought to be celebrating the Lord’s Day, by gathering technologically, hopefully not for much longer, (smile) to give Him much thanks, sing His praises and glorify His holy name. 

And, as we do each Sunday, our opening salvo is a glorious burst of worshipful song. Today’s song of worship is titled ‘Ride Out Your Storm.’ And we could not find a more appropriate song for these rather stormy times we have been recently experiencing. We are going to do the Reggae version, as done by the well-known Jamaican singer George Nooks. So, in an upbeat reggae tempo, with plenty riddim and background vocals, let’s raise our voices in sweet harmony, offering up sincere sacrificial praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

‘Don’t give up just ride out your storm. 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. 

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.’ 

Oh friends, that was magnificent! There was no doubt in heaven that we were sincere in singing the praises of Jesus. The problem now is for us to put all that we’ve just said into action, which is much easier said than done. Yes, even for those of us with strong faith, when the violent storms of life hit us with hurricane-like force, it is ofttimes difficult to bring it to the forefront and stand strong on the promises of Jesus. But we have to do it, if we expect to overcome the storms, or merely to ride them out. And today I just want to reacquaint us with some scripture that helps us to do just that. 

So let’s start at the beginning, it’s usually the best place. (smile) That means we are going right back to the Old Testament, when the Lord brought the Israelites out of 400 hundred years of bondage in Egypt. Now what does the Good Book tells us about that mighty Exodus? ‘And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.’ (Ex. 13:20-22) 

And the scholars inform us that ‘This glowing cloud was the shekinah glory of Yahweh (a visible manifestation of God on earth), which later filled the tabernacle (Ex. 40:35) and then Solomon’s temple (1 Kin. 8:10), and finally departed from the temple and the city just before the Babylonian captivity (Ezek. 8-11). This “glory of the God of Israel” will not return to Israel until the Second Coming of Christ (Ezek. 43:1-7), at which time the glowing cloud will once again cover God’s earthly people. But back then, it guided the people through the wilderness, assured them of God’s presence, and protected them from the Egyptians (cf. Ex. 14:19-20).’ 

Now that alone should be enough to convince us that God is always with us, and will never leave nor forsake us. But I know that we are a stubborn, hard-ears lot, (smile) so listen to Moses to those Israelites who were just as stubborn and hard-ears as us. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them (the enemies they’d meet in the Promised Land): for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Deut. 31:6) Then Moses said the same thing to Joshua, the new leader, adding at the end ‘fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut. 31:8) 

And if that wasn’t enough, after Moses died and Joshua took command, the Lord Himself reassured Joshua. ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh. 1:5) But they had to meditate on His word and keep His commandments; ‘for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:8-9) 

And nothing has changed since then my brethren, except for Jesus coming and giving us even more assurances. Like He promised the disciples and all those who believed on Him and did His work: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) And remember the physical calming of the storm, when they were crossing the Sea of Galilee? The disciples were terribly afraid because the boat was in serious danger of capsizing, but Jesus lay sleeping comfortably in the stern, But they awoke Him and asked ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish?’ (Mark 4:38) 

He obviously did, but He knew that there was no cause for worry since He was with them. That’s why after getting up and rebuking the wind, saying to the sea, ‘Peace be still,’ He also rebuked them by asking: ‘Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?’ (Mark 4:39-40) And friends, it’s the same question Jesus asks of us when the storms of life beset us and we become so terrified that we don’t know our A from our E. (smile) ‘Where is your faith? Why is it so small? Haven’t you seen and heard enough about me and My word, and know that I am the eternal calmer of storms?’ 

Yes my fellow saints, we ought to know better than to be terrified of the storms of life when we have Jesus running the show. So, I hope this li’l review will reassure us, boost our faith, and keep us standing strong and steadfast, so that we can confidently ride them out on the strong and massive shoulders of Jesus. Much LOVE!

…the greatest storm pilot there ever was…Jesus…                                                                                                    

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 July 2021 John 8:32.

10 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

John 8:32.     And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

And Saturday has opened bright and sunny, though somewhat chilly for a summer’s morning. But let’s hope that it warms up some and doesn’t get dark and cloudy like yesterday did, despite the nice opening weather. However, with Christ and His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we will handle whatever the weather turns out to be, for it’s only weather, (smile) and our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ is the One who controls the weather, who holds it in the palm of His hand. Glory be! 

So there’s nothing to be worried about on that front. And indeed, on any front at all, because Jesus is the One who controls all fronts, all things! That means we can depend on Him to look after us with the care and LOVE of a doting Father. (smile) Yes friends, Christ dotes on us, but it’s not like a human kind of doting. He doesn’t give us everything we want, only stuff that’s good for us. And he pulls us up when we are disobedient and go astray, and the basis for it all is His great unconditional LOVE which cannot be denied or taken away. 

That means there’s also nothing to be worried about on this fine Saturday morning, because our friend, our Lord and Saviour, our guide and leader, the One and Only Jesus Christ has everything under control! And all God’s people said a loud, proud and grateful ‘Amen!’ And having made all of that very clear, let’s turn to our Saturday business nuh, that of checking out the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. 

Now some of you must be wondering how I too so long to come to that. Well, it’s because our friend Anselm only sent me two quotes this past week. I have no idea why, but let’s hope and pray that He is all right and it was just some small and insignificant matter that caused the shortfall. In any case, let’s deal with the two we have. 

And the first one says: ‘So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.’ And some of us truly believe that, hence the saying, the squeaky wheel gets the most grease or oil. Meaning that those who complain the loudest and longest get looked after first or quicker than the more well-behaved ones. And that does happen in many circumstances, but it’s not necessarily the way that Jesus wants his followers to behave. He does expect us to fight for what we truly believe in, but at the same time, not in a brawling, loud mouthed, aggressive, complaining manner. 

And I don’t think you have to look any further than the Sermon on the Mount, in particular, the Beatitudes, (Matt. 5:3-12) to find Jesus take on the subject.  The scholars tell us that ‘this message deals with the inner state of mind and heart that is the indispensable absolute of true Christian discipleship. It delineates the outward manifestations of character and conduct of true believers and genuine disciples. A life of grace and glory, which comes from God alone and not from man. Jesus states the spiritual character and quality of the kingdom He would establish, and the basic qualities of this kingdom are fulfilled in the church He would establish.’ 

And we notice those characteristics include ‘the poor in spirit, those that mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers.’ Now, although the words chosen to describe them seem to portray weakness, none of those things entail weakness of character and purpose, but the opposite, strength of character and a Christ-like sense of purpose. For instance, ‘meekness doesn’t mean a weak, pliable spirit, but rather a strong though humble one. So Christ just wants His people to see and do things differently to how the world sees and does them. 

Then the next quote says: ‘If you’re not ready to die for it, put the word ‘freedom’ out of your vocabulary.’ Now I guess it all depends on how you define freedom. And in man’s world, that might just be true, as has been the example from the beginning of man’s existence. 

Mankind has always put freedom from something or someone as a rallying cry for death. But unfortunately we have never really achieved freedom, because there is no such thing as true freedom in a stable society. Restrictions are necessary in some areas if we don’t want the society to devolve into utter chaos. 

That’s why that word ‘freedom,’ as the world understands it, has caused more wars and bloodshed than anything else in the annals of man. However with Christ, one can find true freedom because the word He speaks is truth, not man’s truth but God’s truth, spiritual truth. And as He told the people who believed in Him: ‘If ye continue in (abide by) my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ (John 8:31-32) 

Now friends, that’s the only real freedom we can ever expect to achieve in this world: the freedom gained from believing in Jesus and holding on to His words. It’s a spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin. All other talk of freedom is fraught with numerous pitfalls, right down to the possibility of death. So please, read your history, and see how many have spoken that famous word ‘freedom’ and have supposedly died for it. But in man’s meaning it is only a utopian idea. 

Only in Christ Jesus can you find real freedom, where you are not disturbed by what happens around you, but find rest and peace in the Word of God. So as we go about our lives today, please let’s remember the significant differences between freedom in man’s terms, and freedom in Christ’s. The latter is the only one truly possible! Much LOVE!

…let freedom ring and reign…in Christ Jesus…                                                                                           

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 July 2021 Philippians 4:12a.

09 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:12a.     I know both how to be abased (suffer want), and I know how to abound:

Well at last we have awakened to the sun and not dark, cloudy skies! (smile) As they say, you never truly appreciate the sun until you’ve seen the rain…and literally too much of it. But as good believers we must learn to be contented in whatever situation we find ourselves. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians from a Roman prison regarding the gift they sent him. ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (regarding need): for I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased (suffer want), and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need.’ (Phil. 4:11-12) 

Yes friends, Bruh Paul is saying that he was grateful for the financial contribution of the Philippians, but he could also have done without it, because he had learned how to be contented in times of plenty, as well as in times of scarcity. And then he added that verse we all find so easy to quote, but don’t fully understand: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Phil. 4:13) Please note though, as the scholars explain: ‘The Greek here suggests that contentment is a lesson learned neither in a classroom nor overnight, but through many practical experiences in life.’ 

And that’s the indisputable truth my people! Contentment in all circumstances, or merely contentment itself, is a hard-earned lesson offered and majored only in the school of hard knocks, the school of life. But then again, it’s only through the grace and power of Christ that we can learn such an important lesson. Let’s never forget that aspect of it. And on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Website, I found this interesting commentary on the subject by Joy Allmond. She says: ‘It’s part of the human condition – we often want what we don’t have or what we see other people getting. Discontentment is a disease of the heart running rampant, even among the most faithful believers in Christ.’ 

Then she goes on to give some examples of discontentment, which basically break down to greed, envy, jealousy and selfish pride. And follows it up with this question, one that we can, ought to all ask ourselves. ‘Why are we so easily discontented? We could assume people in the above scenarios are too busy focusing on their circumstances and not on God.’ Now isn’t that the living truth? It certainly is. Most of our discontent comes from focusing on our circumstances and not on God and His awesome ability to change or improve them. 

Ms. Allmond then tells us a couple of ways to put our focus on where it belongs – in humility and praise. Yes friends, when we concentrate on those two areas of our spiritual lives, we won’t have time to make comparisons and become disappointed or discontented. That’s because our focus is totally concentrated on God, not the circumstances currently surrounding us. And the two biblical examples Ms. Allmond gives are first on humility, Bruh Paul’s words above to the Philippians. 

She then explains: ‘Paul wrote this letter from a Roman prison, having been incarcerated for sharing his faith. By our standards here in the United States, this is a very unfair predicament. Yet, Paul did not feel he was short of anything. He was humble to accept the circumstances he had been given, because he was humbled by the grace he had been given by God when he became a follower of Christ. He knew, at that point, that he possessed that most important thing he could ever obtain – assurance of salvation and a right relationship with his Lord.’ Now do we know that my faithful brethren in Christ? I surely hope so, otherwise we are definitely missing an essential aspect of our Christian faith. 

Then on the subject of praise, she highlights the passage of scripture where Paul and Silas are imprisoned in Philippi. ‘And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God (were praying and singing songs): and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands (chains) were loosed.’ (Acts. 16:25-26) And we all know what happened afterward; no one escaped, but the jailer and his family were saved, and no doubt some of the other prisoners too, which was God’s real purpose behind the earthquake. 

Ms. Allmond’s commentary on that scripture is also interesting. ‘In this passage, Paul was imprisoned (at an earlier time), along with Silas, for spreading the Gospel. They had been stripped and beaten severely. Instead of complaining or lamenting, the two men began to sing praises to their God. It’s probably safe to say they didn’t feel like praising the Lord, but they chose to have a grateful heart. They literally “brought down the house” with their songs of praise! The floor of the prison was shaken by an earthquake, and everyone in their midst were set free (chains loosed). Not only were the other prisoners set free (chains loosed) by their praise, the heart of the jailer was changed (verses 31-40). 

It’s interesting to see that their attitude about their circumstances not only pleased God, it impacted other people – it freed them. We can become so caught up in our attitude of discontentment that it affects the people in our paths. It could even keep them from wanting to know Christ. Do you think the jailer would have been attracted to a relationship with Christ if he sensed a bitter heart in Paul and Silas? Let’s commit to freedom from the bondage of discontentment through attitudes of humility and praise. By doing this, we can do more than live the abundant life in Christ that was intended for us. We can impact the world by living this outwardly for those around us to witness.’ 

Oh my fellow saints of Christ, I could not put it any better than that. So please let’s take that wise and wonderful advice to heart nuh, for it will certainly benefit us all. And there’s no better time to begin doing that, than right now, (smile) by going to our great and wonderful God in humble prayer, acquainting Him with our problems, through our Friday Chant. 

As one strong, confident, but humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the various other areas of strife are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

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

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

Now that all sounds wonderful, but please remember that unless we do change our evil ways, and become truly faithful believers, our prayer will not be positively answered. Much LOVE!

…the Lord searches our hearts…for right and sincere motives…before He answers our prayers…                                                                                           

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

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

08 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

If you turn to Him, and live the way He desires, you will find the utmost peace in whatever situation you might encounter! That His promise. And He doesn’t make or take promises lightly. So you can be assured that whatever He tells you, will come to pass. And if it’s peace of mind you are looking for, then you’ve certainly come to the right place. Listen to Jesus as He offers this assurance. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27). 

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

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

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

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

And just one more goody here from Bruh David before we close. (smile). In total confidence, he declares: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up (devour) my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.’ (Ps. 27:1-3) 

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

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

Now, let’s go home declaring (yeah!!!) our Thursday Blessings, those divine blessings so generously granted to strengthen us for God’s earthly work. Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

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

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

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

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

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

07 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

Most likely Jesus was upset that they had woken Him from a comfortable sleep, even possibly a sweet dream. ‘And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this (who can this be), that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (Mark 4:39-41) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, for those of us who are sincerely endeavouring to keep Jesus first place in our lives, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our most wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong voice. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And just in case you don’t remember, or your faith flounders some, (smile) if we endure to the end, that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

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

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

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

06 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

And since we’ve promised to keep our vows to God, we are now duty bound to go out and share the awesome LOVE and amazing friendship of Jesus with others. Much LOVE!

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

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

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