Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 June 2021 Matthew 28:20b.

25 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 28:20b.     …and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Well hello there, you beautiful saints of Christ! It’s Friday, the day that so many of us look forward to, or rather used to look forward to, when life was normal and the world was not pandemic entangled. But now, things are somewhat different; many of us are finding it even more difficult than before to make ends meet, money is in short supply for numerous reasons, and our mental and emotional health is not as good, not as relaxed and contented as it once was. But I’m here to remind us that if we have put our trust in Jesus Christ, we should not despair or be afraid. 

Why is that, you ask? It’s simple; because He will look after us, for He has promised never to leave nor forsake us, (Heb. 13:5) and He is noted for keeping His promises…all of them. But we must keep believing them, and stand strong on them, let our faith rise to new levels, by recalling scriptures like: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

Yes, it is difficult to raise our level of faith when we are undergoing serious stress and strain, but the truth is that’s the very time we need to raise it, when we need to stand strong in Jesus, because without His saving grace and faith, we will indeed crumble under the enemy’s onslaught. Remember Jesus last words to the disciples, and consequently to us, when He gave them the Great Commission to go out and evangelize the world? ‘…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) Now that is another vital scripture to keep uppermost in our hearts and souls, to help in time of need. 

Oh my people, in these trying times, times that echo the last days, we need to be greatly encouraged in our faith, in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And if we are finding things difficult right now, it might take a while before they improve, but we need to believe that they will. And even if they don’t, because not all things fall under the mantra, ‘this too shall pass,’ we need to be strong enough to understand that we are being prepared for a better place, heaven, and that in due time, the Lord will work it all out for our good. (Rom. 8:28) It’s a matter of trust and faith in God’s promises friends. 

As Bruh Paul wrote to the Corinthians: ‘But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.’ (2 Cor. 4:7) What that means is that we are brittle earthen vessels that have the power of God, of the gospel filling us. The scholars explain it thus: ‘It depicts humanity in its weakness. The gospel is not a product of human genius or clever intellect (humanity in its strength). Yet it resides in men of clay, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.’ 

Ah my fellow saints, under the New Covenant, God dwells in believer’s hearts, and it’s the source of power that enables us to keep keeping on, despite less than comfortable or favourable circumstances. It’s borne out in Bruh Paul’s words. ‘We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast (struck) down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’ (2 Cor. 4:8-10) 

Yes friends, the life and death of Christ must empower us to hold on to our Christian beliefs. We need to remember what He suffered on our behalf – death on the cross, as well as what He also accomplished – resurrection from the dead, giving us the promise of salvation and eternal life. And that better life with Him in the future, is something we ought to think about a little more down here on earth, especially when times are rough. 

As Bruh Paul says: ‘Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound (abound) to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not (do not lose heart), but though our outward man perish (is perishing), yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.’ (2 Cor. 4:14-18) 

Oh my brethren, I know it’s not easy to ignore the things going on in our earthly lives and think about those that will occur in the future in heaven, but it’s one of the tools we need to use to help us get through the trying times. And we can do it, if we harness the amazing power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, through the awesome grace that our heavenly Father provides for us to do His work. Now that doesn’t mean we don’t ask for divine help in our earthly troubles. So let’s take the many we currently have, to the Father right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and the racial strife 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 also introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And, as we supposed faithful believers truly behave like faithful believers, so will our current troubles be remedied. Much LOVE!

…earth is only our temporary home…heaven is where we will spend eternity with Christ…                                                                            

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 June 2021 Psalm 36:7a.

24 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 36:7a.     How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God!

Then came Thursday, bright and beautiful… And all God’s children gave thanks for life and health and all the other good things that the Lord has done for them! Now please don’t make me a liar. (smile) I do hope that you all did give Jehovah some thanks and praise when you arose this morning and saw the light of day. And if by chance you forgot to offer up a little prayer of thanks, please take a moment and do so now. The Lord won’t hold it against you, for He knows that we are weak and ofttimes forgetful while we run to keep up with the fast pace of this new world. But once you remember and come to Him with sincere repentance, He will forgive. 

And as the song asks, ‘What shall I render to Jehovah, for He has done so much for me?’ The answer is simply to remember Him in all your doings, and offer heartfelt thanks and praise. Bruh David spells it out in spades in Psalm 36 – The steadfast LOVE of God, when he confidently declares. ‘Thy mercy (LOVING-kindness), O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgements are a great deep (ocean): O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. 

How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness (fullness) of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.’ (Ps. 36:5-9) 

Oh mercy, mercy me! How can life get any better than that eh mih people? No way! For when you are in touch, in close contact, with the fountain of life and the author of light, you’ll experience both life and light to the utmost degree possible for mere mortals! Wow! No wonder we give our great and generous God so much thanks and praise! 

And that’s only right and proper, seeing that He has done so much for us; giving us life and sustenance, and most importantly providing a means for us to be saved, to be forgiven of our abominable sins against His honourable personage, through the death and resurrection of His sinless Son on the cross of Calvary. 

Ah mih people, the answer to ALL of our problems is keeping God first place in our lives. That’s what Bruh David understood and did. Although he made numerous mistakes, and some serious ones like adultery with Bathsheba and the consequent murder of her husband Uriah, he always turned to the God of his forefathers and cried out for mercy, forgiveness and help. He knew which side his bread was buttered on. 

Hear how he cries out for deliverance in Psalm 57 nuh, when he was hiding in the wilderness in a cave, after fleeing from his deadly enemy, King Saul. ‘Be merciful unto me. O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast (pass).’ (Ps. 57:1) 

Yeh friends, do we call out to our heavenly Father with such desperation when we find ourselves falling into uncontrollable situations? I do hope so. For He is the often the ONLY One who can help, or extricate us from those soul-searing situations. And there’s no shame or disgrace in crying out to him for help nuh, because that’s what He’s there for, what He expects of us. But, in our foolish pride, too many of us try to play the big man and refuse to bow down and cry out for help. 

That’s a very bad mistake friends, for you know that if it’s one thing the Lord detests is foolish human pride, because that means we don’t need Him, and He desires us to be ever and always needed by Him. So my people, if we say we believe in and trust in God, why are afraid to, or are too proud to call out to Him for help eh? Hear Bruh David again, as he continues in Psalm 57. ‘I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.’ (Ps. 57:2) 

Now do we ever cry out like that in in times of desperate need? We ought to. But then that depends on the level of our faith in Almighty God whom we claim to believe in. Bruh David strongly believed that God would do all things for Him, so he was comfortable and secure in crying out to Him for help. And that’s the basic reason we still read about him today. His life wasn’t easy, but he firmly believed and trusted, and thus was successful. Listen to the level of faith and assurance he felt. ‘He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up (hounds me). Selah.  God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.’ (Ps. 57:3) 

Yes precious saints of Christ, that’s the level of faith, of assurance we all need to possess if we claim to believe in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! We need to be positive that the Lord God will always work on our behalf. That’s what caused Bruh David to be called the friend of God, and a man after His own heart. It wasn’t his penchant for doing right, because he did an awful amount of wrong, but He always turned to the Lord, always kept Him first place in his life, was most assured in God’s might and power, forgiveness and faithfulness to look after those who sincerely trusted in Him. 

Now that’s what is sadly lacking in the life of so many believers today. We talk a good talk, but when it comes to putting our talk into action, we fail dreadfully, because our faith, our level of trust and surrender is not as high as it ought to be, and our level of pride and trust in ourselves and of mortal man are too strong. So friends, please let’s wise up and truly realize from whence comes our help nuh. It comes from Almighty God, not his weak and finite creation, mankind. End of sermon! (smile) 

And for those of us who are sincerely trying to raise the level of our faith and trust in God, let’s go home now declaring (awright!!!) our Thursday Blessings, that He has so generously provided for us to do His earthly work. Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

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

Now let’s fulfill our bounden duty by going out and sharing those amazing blessings with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…to show true belief in God…requires plenty action…not mere talk…                                                                                  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 June 2021 Isaiah 43:19a.

23 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 43:19a.     Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?

So now it’s Wednesday, another beautiful day in the life! Thank the Lord for His goodness to the children of men! Especially when it comes to His wonderful Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour; the most beautiful, powerful and LOVING gift ever bestowed in this universe! And the saints of Christ, all lifted their heads, hearts and voices and sincerely declared: ‘Jesus! Jesus! The light of my life, my salvation and my glory! Thank You heavenly Father for giving Him to us. We LOVE You dearly, and we praise and bless Your Holy Name! Amen!’ 

Ah friends, what a momentous and joyful experience it is when Jesus comes into our lives! There’s nothing in the world to compare to or outclass it! You just simply feel a different vibe in your spirit, body and soul. Nothing like you’ve ever felt before. And you’re just astonished that such a remarkable transformation is possible, and wonder why you never experienced it before. But that’s just part of Jesus’ mystique; nothing happens before it’s time, before He is ready to come into your life. And it’s nothing to be afraid of; for He’s never late or early, always right on time with His well-drawn up and executed plans for each of his creations. 

As the Father said so long ago, through the prophet Jeremiah. ‘For 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) That’s a very pertinent scripture in the lives of all believers my people. It means that whenever you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, that is the exact right time, the time that He had planned from eons ago to come into your life. There’s nothing vikey-vie or wishy-washy in God’s economy. It’s all well laid out and executed. Every possibility and consequence have already been considered and plans made to countervail them. 

The prophet Isaiah declared it thus: ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ (Is. 43:18-19) Yes friends, when Jesus comes into our lives, it’s a whole new story, a rebirth! To all intents and purposes, we are born again, like He said to Nicodemus: ‘Verily, verily (truly) I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3) 

And when Nicodemus looked surprised and asked: ‘How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily (truly), I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirt is spirit.’ (John 3:4-6) Yes my people, the rebirth we are talking about here is one of the spirit, one of life-changing attitudes, opinions and behaviour. 

And here’s how Bruh Paul explains this rebirth. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17) And it’s of the utmost important that we understand the meaning of those words. Basically, it means that we give up the old lifestyle we lived and adopt a new one where Jesus, through His Holy Spirit that comes to indwell in when we receive Him, is our guide and leader. We now consider His ways and means as the guiding light of our lives. 

Sin, or the rejection of it, now becomes of much more importance. We no longer live after the flesh, or as the world dictates, because then we are merely IN the world, but not OF the world! We take our direction, our orders from Jesus and the things He desires, not from what the world says. We now live life in the Spirit, not in the carnal and sinful desires of the flesh. As Bruh Paul puts it to the church at Rome. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.’ (Rom. 8:1-2) 

Yes friends, when we come to Christ, the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives guides us in a new direction, to obedience and good works in Christ, not back to the old, carnal lusts and desires we once had. Oh precious people, receiving Christ brings us into a whole new ball game. Here is how Bruh Paul describes it to the Ephesians. ‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’ (Eph. 4:22-24) 

And the scholars offer these explanations re those verses. ‘4:22-24. Christianity taught the addressees to (1) put off…the old man, to renounce their pre-conversion life and sins; (2) be renewed in…your mind, to be constantly changed, being brought more and more into line with God’s own viewpoint; and (3) put on the new man, that is, to assume a new nature (character) and conduct (life) at conversion.’ And yes, we all discover that changing our lifestyle in mid-stream is not an easy, or always a delightful task. But as true believers in Christ, it is absolutely necessary that we give it our all! And never fear, for Jesus is always there to help us! 

Now, here are a few practical pointers that Bruh Paul gave to the Ephesians, which are still helpful to us today in this topsy-turvy, deceitful, evil and godless world. They run from 4:25 -32, 5:1-2, you can read them at your own leisure, (smile) but to save time and space, I’ll just list them as the scholars’ explanations. ‘4:22-5:2. …practical guidelines as to how “the old man” (vs. 22) can be laid aside and how the “new man” (vs. 24) can be assumed in daily living. The passage specifies five sins to be discarded, the virtues that are to replace them, and the motive for such an exchange: 

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

That’s it in a nutshell friends! Nothing exotic, but very practical guidelines that we can all implement as we walk in LOVE, as Christ desires of us. Now let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting the world know of our wonderful position on 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 believe me, if we walk that narrow path right to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…to walk in step with Jesus…oh…what a joy divine…                                                                                

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 June 2021 Psalm 68:3.

22 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 68:3.     But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. 

Well here comes Tuesday, mostly cloudy in my area, and definitely not as warm as the last few days! The weather is certainly playing some games with us this month, being hot and cold, or unstable, like so many of us are in these turbulent times. But nonetheless, as long as we are alive and have the Holy Spirit of Almighty God dwelling in us, we have to give thanks for His awesome blessing of keeping the breath of life flowing through our mortal bodies. That’s an unconditional requirement my faithful brethren! 

As Bruh David says in Psalm 68 – God has gone before His people: ‘But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name; extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, (a shortened Hebrew form of Lord), and rejoice before him.’ (Ps. 68:3-4) Oh my people, we could not get any better advice than that, or do anything more appropriate than sing praises to our wonderful God all the days of our lives. 

That recalls the similar words of Moses in his farewell speech to the children of Israel. ‘There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun (beloved one, Israel), who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.’ (Deut. 33:26-27) Aren’t those encouraging and uplifting words my people? They certainly are! 

And they lead us to Psalm 91, where the psalmist talks about God is a refuge and a fortress. ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I shall say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.’ (Ps. 91:1-2) Oh friends, isn’t it wonderful to have a power mightier than us in whom we can find eternal security? It surely is! And I like how the psalmist continues assuring us of the safety and security found in the One True and Living God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

‘Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler (bird trapper), and from the noisome (perilous or deadly (pestilence). He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust (take refuge): his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (small shield). Thou shalt not be afraid for (of) the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth (lays waste) at noon day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.’ (Ps. 91:3-8) 

What words of utter confidence in our God! And that’s the kind of confidence that we need to have in these troubled last days my fellow saints of Christ. But unfortunately too many of us don’t have that level of faith and trust in the God we supposedly serve. But what’s the sense of serving a God if we don’t have the utmost trust in Him eh? None whatsoever! We say we surrender our lives to Jehovah God, but yet we hold back certain aspects of it from Him, and don’t put everything before Him, foolishly trusting in our own finite and puny selves to accomplish what only God can do. 

For as Jesus so rightly asked: ‘Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for raiment (why do you worry about clothing)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed, dressed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith!’ (Matt. 6:27-30) 

Yeh friends, if our heavenly Father looks after His lesser creations so well, why wouldn’t He look after His greatest creation better than them eh? But we must sincerely believe that He is God, and a good God at that. For as the author of Hebrews declares: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) 

And the rest of that chapter goes on to tell us about all the people of great faith that served the Lord down through the ages, even though they may not have received the earthly treasures they wanted, but they knew, had the faith to believe that greater treasures existed in heaven. As the author of Hebrews explains: ‘These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded (assured) of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.’ (Heb. 11:13) 

That’s the kind of attitude, the level of faith to which we need to aspire my people! It doesn’t mean that we should not enjoy the goodness of God down here on earth, but we must acknowledge that earth is not our eventual home, that heaven is, and that’s where our real treasure will be found, as we spend eternal life with our great and wonderful triune God! But the only way we will raise the level of our faith is by surrendering ALL of ourselves to God, not parts thereof, and seriously studying the word of God, believing it, then putting it into action in our lives. Otherwise we’ll live a life being scared of even our own shadow. 

Now, for those of us who are sincerely attempting to live a faithful life for God, let’s go home declaring (yeah!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who 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 having declared that, let’s go out now and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Jesus with all those we meet. Much LOVE!

…when you truly know Jesus…all you want to do…is share him with others…                                                                             

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 June 2021 Romans 5:5.

21 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Romans 5:5.     And hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Oh praise the Lord, Monday has come around again! And I know that many of us don’t like Mondays, because it means we have to go out to work, to face the drudgery and same old, same old after a relaxing weekend. At least it used to mean that in the pre-pandemic times. (smile) But fellow believers, regardless of what day it might be, in whatever situation we might find ourselves, we should find a joy in just being alive one more day with God’s Holy Spirit leading and guiding us into all truth. 

Remember, once we’re alive, we have hope, that marvelous expectation that rises up in us, that never says die. As one commentator says: ‘Hope is something we can’t live without. Real Hope comes from God and is ours when we put our trust in Him.’ And that hope breeds faith, which keeps us fighting on because we are children of the Most High God Jehovah! We who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Christ. 

And Bruh Paul tells it thus to the church at Rome. ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience (produces perseverance); And patience (perseverance), experience (character); and experience (character), hope: And hope maketh not ashamed (does not disappoint); because the LOVE of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ (Rom. 5:1-5) 

Yes friends, as believers in Christ Jesus, we have everything to live for, and everything we need to live through whatever situations we encounter in this cruel, crazy and godless world! The trials and tribulations we encounter down here only build us up, make us stronger in Jesus. Now isn’t that enough to make us come alive, despite whatever problems we’re currently facing? It should be. And if it’s not, then there are a whole lot of other scriptures of hope, faith and promise for us to feast on, scriptures that will strengthen us, give us some much needed belly and backbone for the tough times that will come our way at some time or other in our earthly lives. 

So let’s look at a few of those scriptures nuh, bury them deep in our hearts, minds and souls, so that we can resurrect them in our time of need. First up is that magnificent promise our God made way back when through the prophet Jeremiah. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) 

And that promise has not changed. In fact, it’s gotten even better, because after that God sent Jesus to die for us, so we could have salvation and eternal life if we believed in Him. Now there’s no hope or future that’s better than that! And God’s children joyfully and gratefully shouted: ‘Thank You Lord for Jesus!’ 

Now listen to this other old, but more easily understood and practical promise; this one through the prophet Isaiah. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak), and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

Oh my people, how can such a mighty scripture not lift our spirits and renew our faith eh! Now listen to Job, whom we consider the father of patience, of perseverance, on the subject of hope. ‘And thine age (thy life) shall be clearer (brighter) than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid, yea, many will make suit unto you (shall court your favour).’ (Job 11:17-19) 

Mama Yo! What encouraging words my brethren! And we all know that though Job lost all his wealth and family, because he stood strong in the Lord, the Lord replenished him with twice what he lost. And furthermore, listen as he states his faith. ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter (last) day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.’ (Job 19:25-26) Powerful words of hope and faith friends! Words that ALL believers ought to be able to say in all sincerity and truth. 

And the last scripture on hope is very appropriately from Bruh Paul, explaining the reason for Old Testament hope. ‘For whatsoever things were written aforetime (beforehand) were written for our learning, that we through patience (perseverance) and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.’ (Rom. 15:4) Yes my fellow believers, the scriptures were written so that we could have hope. But that means we have to seriously study them, they are not going to simply seep into our consciousness by osmosis. Or as Bruh Paul says: ‘Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer.’ (Rom. 12:12) 

And since there’s no doubt that we are currently facing much tribulation, let’s take Bruh Paul’s advice nuh, to rejoice in hope, stand strong in the tribulation, and steadfast in prayer, by taking our troubles to the Lord in sincere prayer right now through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. As one strong voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank Youthis 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!’  

Now, we must prove to the Lord that we mean business by changing our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…now may the God of hope…fill you with all joy and peace in believing…that you may abound in hope…by the power of the Holy Spirit… (Rom. 15:13) 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 June 2021 Psalm 118:24.

20 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 118:24.     ​This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!

Well a pleasant Sunday to you my Scrip-Bit friends and family! It’s another beautiful day in the life! Our God surely knows how to make them, doesn’t He! And we also wish a blessed and Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there, be they good, bad or indifferent! (smile) Oh, we know that our parents should be celebrated every day, but that’s not always possible, so we focus on one special day each year for each parent. 

Today is your day Fathers, so please enjoy it. So all around it’s a wonderful day! That means we can say like the psalmist did so sincerely, so long ago: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) Glory Hallelujah my faithful brethren in Christ! 

And what better way to celebrate the Lord’s beautiful day and Father’s Day than by raising our voices in praise to the 18thcentury hymn written by clergyman Phillip Doddridge and made popular, became a gospel music standard in the 20thcentury by the Edwin Hawkins singers. You know that I’m talking about ‘Oh Happy Day!’ So without further ado, let’s get into it nuh, in an up-tempo beat, with loud, joyful, harmonious voices, let’s rock heaven…oh, and don’t forget those wonderful background vocals, because that’s the heart of the song. (smile) 

All together now: ‘Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) Oh, when He washed (When Jesus washed) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) He washed my sins away (Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) (Repeat) He taught me how (He taught me how) To watch and fight and pray Watch and pray And live rejoicing every day Every day Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) Oh, when He washed (When Jesus washed) When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed) He washed my sins away 

(Oh, happy day) Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) He taught me how (He taught me how) To watch and fight and pray Watch and pray And live rejoicing every day (Good God) Every day Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day) Oh, it’s a happy day (Oh, happy day) Oh, Lord (Oh, happy day) Mmm, good God (Oh, happy day) Oh yeah (Oh, happy day) Mmm, oh (Oh, happy day).’ 

Yes friends, it is indeed a happy day! And as always, we did justice to our song of praise, because all heaven was rocking along, with us, singing and clapping…this time we even caught Jesus singing and clapping while doing a li’l two step shuffle off in the corner. You know He is usually shy and reserved and doesn’t get too caught up in the merriment, but today the energy and joy pulsating from the music was too much for Him to resist. 

And a couple angels who saw Him jigging, gleefully shouted out: ‘Go there mih Saviour! Show them you could step too, when you so desire!’ Obviously Jesus blushed, but He didn’t stop dancing. Ah friends, our Lord and Saviour is indeed a man of many parts, and He wants to get involved in everything that we do. So please let’s not try to leave Him out of any areas of our lives, because we are the ones who suffer when we do that. 

And I guess because today is Father’s Day, I ought to say something spiritual to the Fathers? (smile) And there are lots of scriptures that deal with the responsibilities of fathers. The most well-known one I guess is in Bruh Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, where he declares: ‘And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture (training) and admonition of the Lord.’ (Eph. 6:4) 

And just to be clear on what Bruh Paul means, here are some explanations from the scholars.‘6:4. Fathers can provoke their children to wrath by injustice, loss of temper, undue severity, cruelty, favouritism, suppression, sarcasm, ridicule, and misuse or abuse of authority. Nurture basically means “training,” here denoting spiritual education. Admonition is instruction that points out one’s responsibilities and duties. Of the Lord is in Greek a subjective genitive (names the subject of the action contained in another noun). This indicates that behind the parents’ rearing and instruction of their children stands the Lord as the chief teacher in child education. Parents do not raise children alone.’ 

Now that is something many of the parents of this generation need to learn; they cannot raise children in isolation from the Lord. Many are still trying though, and no wonder we have so many godless children in our society. Notwithstanding the serious absence of fathers in too many households. Remember friends, the father is the titular head of the family, and if there is no father present in a child’s rearing, or the father doesn’t do a good job then the child obviously suffers in the long run. 

That’s why Cousin Sol spells it out in Proverbs. ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and (even) when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Prov. 22:6) And that’s the gospel truth friends! Have you ever noticed how many young people who grew up in Christian homes, at some point stray from their faith, but eventually return to it when they see that there’s no other way to live a good life? I can personally testify to that. (smile) 

And a few explanations from the scholars re Cousin Sol’s words.‘22:6. Train up a childrefers to the total process of molding a child’s life…. Thus parental training should help children develop a taste for the things of God. The biblical pattern of effective parental training emphasizes a balance of instruction and discipline (cf. Eph. 6:1-4). 

The ideal parent is to be neither overly authoritarian nor overly permissive. Rather, he must balance LOVE and discipline so as not to provoke his child to rebellion.When he is old means simply, “when he is grown up,” or a mature adult. It does not refer to his elderly years. The verse stresses the simple principle that education in the home forms the man throughout his lifetime.’ 

And there is much truth to all that the scholars and Cousin Sol say, but it’s all much easier said than done, for as the old people will tell you, ‘you make the children, but not their minds.’ So you can try your best to inculcate God into them from their formative years, and yet they will still go astray. But nonetheless it is still our job, our responsibility, to teach them the things of God, regardless of what they choose to do with that info. The Lord will deal with them for their disobedience, and with us for ours, because too many of us parents have not given the children of this generation enough of God’s fodder. 

Remember what the Lord said of Abraham. ‘For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement (righteousness and judgement); that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.’ (Gen. 18:19) 

Oh my people, how many of us can the Lord give such glowing reports of today eh? Unfortunately, not as many as He should, for we have certainly fallen down in raising our children on the tenets of God. However, as the old people would further say, (smile), ‘where there is life, there is hope,’ so let’s not give up on them nuh. Let’s keep being living examples to our children, as well as reminding them of God’s Word and His will for their lives. Much LOVE!

…the foundation of a Christian family is…father, mother, children… and God…                                                                      

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 June 2021 Jeremiah 17:10.

19 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 17:10.     I the Lord search the heart, I try (test) the reins (mind), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds).

Ah friends, when is not one thing is another yes! Yesterday morning we were talking about showers of blessings, well last night about one o’clock, we had a granddaddy of thunderstorms, with flashing lightning, pounding rain and Thor’s hammer hammering like crazy! I was standing at my opened bedroom window when it began, and admired it for a while, then went to bed leaving the window open. But shortly thereafter I had to get up and close it because the lightning scene got sort of crazy and scary. 

And the storm went on for a good half an hour or more, and as it calmed down, you could hear the thunder rolling in the distance as it approached another area. Now who says our God isn’t great eh? One moment He can show gentleness, which we saw with the early morning showers, while the next He can show His awesome power with thunder, lightning and pouring rain. So please don’t take our God lightly! (smile) That’s the watchword for today! 

Anyway, since it’s Saturday, let’s look at the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one declares: ‘All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.’ That is true more often than not! For we don’t usually make progress unless we come upon something difficult for us to overcome. 

That’s why we read about God testing us as we walk our earthly journey. Listen to Moses as he talks to the Israelites. ‘And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove (test) thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep my commandments, or no.’ (Deut. 8:2) Meanwhile Jeremiah puts it thus: ‘I the Lord search the heart, I try (test) the reins (mind), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (deeds).’ (Jer. 17:10) 

Yeh friends, the Lord took the Israelites the long way to the promised land to try, to test them, and they failed miserably. It’s the same with ordinary life, we usually can’t improve unless we put out a special, or bigger effort. And that’s why we can only be changed from glory to glory, become more Christ-like in small increments; at every level, we need to put out a bigger effort to rise up higher. Consequently, the next quote is very true. ‘If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.’ 

If you want to achieve more than the ordinary stuff, then you must put out more than the ordinary effort, take some risks, climb out on a shaky limb or two, for only those who dare to step out from their comfort zone, ever win the first prize. No wonder there are so many under-achievers in our current society. Too many of us are simply willing to accept the status quo and live the lazy, entitled life, than to make an effort, to put a foot forward and improve ourselves and our world. 

Then we have this interesting quote: ‘The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do.’ And that’s the gospel truth yes my people. Most of the people who have caused worldwide changes in our universe had a screw or two slightly loose, (smile) or rather a big vision that most of us cannot even comprehend, and also a monumental passion to achieve it. 

When you consider people like Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Lenin and Stalin, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, as well as inventors like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, they were driven by a different mental attitude and passion than most. And that’s how one needs to be, if you desire to make worldwide changes. Your efforts, imagination and steadfastness must be bigger than ordinary. 

That brings us to our last quote: ‘One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.’ And there is a lot of truth to that statement, which is best exemplified by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Just look at the impact His birth had on the world nuh. Wise men came many miles from distant lands just to praise and worship Him, offering priceless gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

In his home area He also made a big splash, after the angels announced it to the shepherds and they noised it about, even so badly scaring King Herod, that he went about killing all the children around two years of age. And then worldwide, His birth is now celebrated by the wonderful festival of Christmas; a time of giving, sharing and LOVING, even if you are not a Christian. 

Jesus is also the epitome of how one teacher can change the world. He gathered twelve young men, taught them His ways and desires for three years then sent them out to evangelize the world. And although it took some time and much effort, including serious persecution, they set the ball rolling, until now, it’s almost done. In another few years, with the wonderful tools we now have, the whole earth would have heard of Christ and His wonderful message of salvation and eternal life, even if they choose not to accept him. Now how is that for one teacher starting from humble beginnings eh? 

And when we talk about one book changing the world, there’s none like the Bible, the Holy Word of God! Wow! It’s been in existence for thousands of years. Numerous wars and arguments have blossomed from it. It’s been banned, burned, vilified, blasphemed, called all sorts of names, but today it is still the bestselling book in the universe! 

Mamacita! How is that possible eh? Because of its author, Jesus Christ! One pen might not have done the actual writing, but it was the thought process of just One Person, Almighty God. He inspired the words of the prophets and writers, and thus it’s all His doing! 

So friends, please, let’s never believe that ONE of anything is not sufficient or enough to make big changes, for if that ONE thing or person is valiant and willing enough to go to the ends of the earth to succeed, they can, especially if they have the awesome power of Christ Jesus, His Holy Spirit dwelling in them and leading and guiding them to their divine destiny! Much LOVE!

…all things are possible with God…and those who sincerely reverence Him…                                                                          

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 June 2021 2 Timothy 1:7.

18 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 1:7.     ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind. 

Showers of blessing, Oh showers of blessing! That’s what we are experiencing in my area this Friday morning friends! And are we ever thankful and grateful to know that the good Lord is looking down with oodles of LOVE on our li’l community. (smile) We need to be, because, for whatever reason, He’s not looking down on many others with showers of blessings, but with drought and famine. So when you are blessed, you need to acknowledge it and give grateful thanks! 

Now, today, I’ve been led to offer scriptures on encouragement since our world is in such turmoil and upheaval, both literally and figuratively, and we believers need to remember and hold on tight to the many promises of Christ, that we should not be afraid, but to feel secure in His fold. And the first scripture I want us to look at, is that in Bruh Paul’s second message to Timothy, when the young pastor’s church in the big, turbulent city of Ephesus was undergoing some problematic times, and he was becoming discouraged. 

After reminding Timothy of the faith that ran down through his family; his grandmother Lois, his mother Eunice and in him too, (2 Tim. 1:5) Bruh Paul tells him. ‘Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting (laying) on of my hands.’ (2 Tim. 1:6) Now that’s the same thing I want to do today my faithful brethren: put us in remembrance of the gift of grace which we all got from God, when we received Christ, and which we need to stir up, to refresh, to lay new coals or wood on to relight the fires that once burned so brightly within each of us. 

Remember we are supposed to be the light of the world in Jesus’ place! However, at this current time, because of all the troubles in the world and in the church and the resultant fear, anxiety and insecurity, we have allowed those fires to burn low, or in many cases, to die out completely. But friends, this is the exact time that we believers are expected to stand strong and show the rest of the world the necessity of living for Jesus. And we have the ability and God-given capacity to do that, as Bruh Paul’s next words to Timothy prove. 

‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind. Be thou not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions (share with me the sufferings) of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.’ (2 Tim. 1:7-10) 

Now fellow saints, the long and short of the story is this: From day one, God decided that at some stage his Son Jesus would die to redeem the sins of mankind. And He did this some two thousand years ago on the cross at Calvary and His triumphant resurrection on Easter Sunday, making possible salvation and eternal life. However, to achieve that forgiveness of sin, mankind would have to believe in Jesus and live the way He desired them to through His holy gospel. Believers would also be expected to tell others about the wonderful value and benefits involved in living for Jesus, though the work would not necessarily be easy. 

But since God is a good God and does not ask you to do anything without giving you the wherewithal to do it, He has graced us not with a sense of fear, but of power and of LOVE, and of a sound or disciplined mind. Now, that power comes directly from the Holy Spirit that indwells each believer, and is there to lead and guide us into all truth. Remember Jesus’ words to the disciples before He ascended to heaven, that they should stay in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. (Acts 1:4) 

Then later on, He further explains: ‘But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8) Yes friends, Jesus knew they could not accomplish the Great Commission, evangelizing the world, without the power of the Holy Ghost, which finally descended on them on the upcoming day of Pentecost. (Acts 2) 

Now, that Great Commission was given to ALL believers down through the ages, likewise the Holy Ghost. That means we have the necessary power to do whatever is necessary on Christ’s behalf, as well as His unconditional LOVE for us, which also brings out our feelings of compassion and caring for others, and we can do it all with a sound and well-disciplined mind. So truly, there is no need for us to fear and be anxious about all the confusion circling around us today. 

Remember this promise of Jesus. ‘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) Now, if we are true believers in Jesus, that ought to quieten our hearts. 

Then listen to this scripture from Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘’For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.’ (Rom. 8-15-16) Yes my fellow believers, the very indwelling of the Holy Spirit makes us children of God! And if we are children of the Most High God, then there is no need to fear anything or anyone in our Father’s universe! 

But since we are imperfect and ofttimes stubborn, hard headed beings, we don’t always do as we ought to, and so things go wrong in our lives. That means we still need to go to our heavenly Father in prayer and ask for His help. Let’s take the opportunity to do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

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

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. 

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

Ah mih people, hopefully the Lord will respond positively to our petition, but you know that depends on us keeping our promise to be faithful believers. Much LOVE!

…when believers fear…it doesn’t give unbelievers any encouragement to seek Jesus…                                                                           

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 June 2021 Luke 10:41.

17 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Luke 10:41.     Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful (worried) and troubled about many things:

Praise the Lord my people! He’s given us another brand new day to enjoy! One with everything that’s new and shiny, like He always does! So let’s be glad and rejoice in it nuh, like we ought to. Oh, I know some of us are going to say, ‘I’m too busy to enjoy this day yes! Too many things to do, people to see and places to go!’ But yuh know what, I have a good remedy for that busyness; this poem from our One Year Book of Bible promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s titled, most appropriately ‘Busy Day.’ 

So please pray with me: ‘Lord, this is one of the days I must ask you to preserve my sanity In the midst of turmoil. I’m so pressed by commitments – Plus a thousand trivial tasks – That I can scarcely see over my head. So I plead for enough wisdom To sort my priorities carefully. Regardless of my frenzied schedule May I keep my sense of humour And even enjoy a chuckle or two. 

Calm my quivering nerves With mental flashes from Your Word. Help me to maintain At least a semblance Of Mary – Martha balance. And tonight when we’re together again Should my husband confront me with ‘What have you been doing today?’ May my answer be genuine and gentle: ‘Part of the time, darling I’ve thanked God for you.’ 

Now isn’t that a beautiful prayer my people? It surely is! And it does not apply to women only but to all genders, since nowadays we seem to have more than the two the Lord created. But seriously though friends, our lives today can get so hectic and busy that ofttimes we don’t know whether we’re coming or going. And it’s nice, and also wise, to ask the Father to help us set some priorities in our lives, so that we don’t get too overwhelmed and feel like we are in over our heads. Of course, He must always be our number ONE priority, and there’s no one better to help us set good and reachable goals. 

And the Bible verse for our poem today comes from the story of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, Jesus’ friend. One day, it happened that Jesus visited their house in the village of Bethany, and while Martha was busying preparing a meal for Him, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him expound on whatever He was expounding on. (smile) And the Good Book tells us: ‘But Martha was cumbered about (distracted with) much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.’ (Luke 10:40) 

And isn’t that the way it often is with us? We feel like we’re doing all the work, while others who should be helping, are relaxing and enjoying what we can’t enjoy. So Martha felt burdened by all the work with no help from her sister and complained to Jesus. But before we hear Jesus’ answer, here is an interesting explanation from the scholars on that particular verse. ‘10:40. Cumbered means that Martha was distracted by matters that, in light of Jesus’ visit, should have been secondary.’ 

Now, if we look back at our own behaviour, I’m sure that we will find times when we have also become distracted by things that should have been secondary to visits by our friends and families, which meant we did not get to enjoy them as much as should have. Yes, we always seem to put the actual entertaining before the enjoyment of the company. Anyway, to Martha’s question: ‘Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful (worried) and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’ (Luke 10:41-42) 

Ah friends, we all know the story, and I’m sure Marth did not expect Jesus to rebuke her, but to tell Mary to get up and help her. But we don’t always get the answers we seek to the questions we ask. And no doubt Martha was much disappointed. Now here are some explanations from the scholars on those verses. ‘10:41. The repetition of her name (Martha, Martha) denotes a gentle and sympathetic reply. Careful (see 1 Cor. 7:32-35) often indicates a this-worldly, unbelieving attitude that hinders proper attention to the things of God; that is, to be unduly concerned about secondary matters.’ 

No doubt that also happens to us in this busy and crazy world we live in. Now to the next verse. ‘10:42. One thing: This can be explained in two ways here. Jesus may be saying that only one simple dish is required for the meal; Martha can handle the preparations without Mary’s help. In this case Martha is being primarily rebuked. Or Jesus may by one thing refer to the spiritual nourishment craved by Mary. In this case Jesus is implying that Martha, too, should leave her housework for a time and concentrate on the more urgent matter.’ 

And I like the idea of two possible explanations to Jesus words, because all I’ve ever heard is Jesus rebuking Martha for not being spiritual like Mary, and thus she is ‘remembered for her impatience and excessive concern for mundane matters, whereas Mary is remembered for her spiritual desire and discernment.’ Sometimes I think we give Martha a bad rap for being too worldly, and Mary too many pips for spirituality. (smile) 

Anyway friends, the lesson for us to learn today is that spirituality, or the things of God, ought to take first place in our lives. As Bruh David so rightly says in Psalm 27 – The Lord is my light and my salvation. ‘One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.’ (Ps. 27:4) Oh my fellow saints in Christ, we can never go wrong with such a God-inspired attitude! And in these perilous and troubled times that is exactly the kind of attitude we need to see us through them successfully. 

Now let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Thursday Blessings which the Lord has generously poured out on us to do His work down here on earth. In strong voice with sincere hearts. ‘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 seeing that we’ve been so generously gifted, our duty now is to go out and share those blessings just as generously with others, so that they too may come to know Christ and be also blessed! Much LOVE!

…one can ONLY be godly in an ungodly world…when God is Number One in your life…                                                                         

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 June 2021 Matthew 6:12.

16 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:12.     And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Ah mih people, the ole fella’s shaking it a bit rough this morning through lack of sleep. Went to bed pretty late this morning. What else is new eh? (smile) And that accounts for my lateness in rising and getting down to the Lord’s work. But our God is a good God, rather magnanimous I should say, and He has forgiven me for my tardiness. Let’s hope you do the same. (smile) Remember, He forgives when we forgive. 

And I guess that’s the topic He wants us to look at this bright, sunshiny but cool Wednesday morning. And it’s an important topic friends, one that’s very near and dear to the Lord’s heart. Please note that it takes a solemn place in the prayer our Lord and Saviour Jesus taught us that we call, ‘The Lord’s Prayer. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’ (Matt. 6:11-12) 

You’ll notice that after giving the Father the glory and recognition He deserves, Jesus asks for daily bread, that’s the provision God provides for us each day, and then comes the petition of forgiveness, but it’s very dependent on the forgiveness in our own lives. And Jesus goes on to point it out Himself: ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15) 

Oh friends, as always, Jesus states it true and clear. He doesn’t mince words. If we don’t forgive our earthly brothers and sisters their trespasses, neither will He forgive ours. But right now, one of the biggest problems in our world, one that’s possibly causing the most anger, strife, resentment and negative situations is the overwhelming state of unforgiveness that’s dwelling in our hearts and souls! We have completely forgotten Christ’s message – you must forgive if you want to be forgiven.

It could not get any clearer than that! But yet, how many of us supposed Christians run to God for forgiveness while still harbouring lots of unforgiveness towards our neighbours in our hearts eh? Plenty of us, my brethren, plenty of us! And we expect God to forgive us, although we feel we have this inalienable right to seek revenge on those who have hurt us. That’s indefensible in our Christian faith friends. Remember what the Lord told the Israelites through Moses a long, long time ago? ‘To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.’ (Deut. 32:35) 

And Bruh Paul in his missive to the church at Rome puts it even more clearly and powerfully. ‘Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men (have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends upon) you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with the good.’ (Rom. 12:17-21) 

There it is again friends, the basic tenets of our faith: forgiveness with doing good, not avenging ourselves, but leaving it to God, because that’s His department. But yuh better believe that vengeance is ripe and overflowing in today’s society, with too many of us wanting to take revenge and repayment into our own hands. But my people that only breeds anger and strife and a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye. And if we follow it logically, the cycle of revenge will never end, because once you do it to me, I will have to do it back to you, and so we will go on interminably! 

Just think about the overbearing feuds of the clans in Scotland, especially that infamous one of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s in the rough hills and valleys of Virginia and Kentucky. Apparently, the families were neighbours and friends, who even intermarried, but when the Civil War came they had to choose sides, and after the war that enmity remained and the killing, kidnapping and other forms of violence went on for a long time. And what did it achieve eh? Nothing but hate and violence! 

Yuh see how easy it is to move from peaceful, coexisting neighbours, even family, to vengeful hatred and violence. And we’re definitely seeing too much of that in our selfish, me first modern society, and it can never bode any good for us or our societies. That’s why we have to be so mindful of forgiveness and repay evil with good my fellow saints. 

Oh, before I forget, (smile) here are some interesting explanations from the scholars on the verses we quoted above. ‘12:19-21. Give place unto wrath: Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 to show that only God has the right to avenge, and He certainly will avenge. Heap coals of fire on his head (cf. Prov. 25:22). This may refer to a sense of shame or remorse engendered when we treat an evildoer kindly. Paul is discussing personal not national enemies. He is not teaching pacifism.’ 

Right there we see the benefit of knowing our Bible. It allowed Bruh Paul to quote from two separate sources and make one whole. And that’s the kind of Bible knowledge we all need to have, so that we could use it in our time of need, which sadly is every day, with the kind of antagonistic and strife-filled society in which we currently live. And it will only get better when we believers in Christ Jesus start to truly live the way He expects us to live; like the salt of the earth and the bright shining light of a city on a hill!  We all know that! Matter finished! 

So, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live like Christ desires, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in 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!’  

Now, we must endure to the end…and then we’ll discover that that future is even greater than we can ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…the quickest way to destroy a society or a relationship…unforgiveness and vengeance…                                                                        

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

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