Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 April 2020 Psalm 130:5.

01 Apr 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 130:5.    ​I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
 
Moving right along…It’s April 1, 2020 – April Fools Day, or as we know it down South- All Fools Day! A day for jokes and hijinks. But not today. No! Please, not this day in the year of 2020! This is a time for very serious behaviour, although we do need some levity in our spirits and souls if we don’t want to go crazy. However, we already have so much false info and misdirection and outright lies in our society, mostly funneled through social media, we definitely don’t want to introduce anymore today, when half the world is locked down and in a state of panic because of the Coronavirus. 

And on a point of interest, in Canada it seems that people are still drinking Corona beer, whilst it’s unavailable in some other places. That just shows how ignorant and/or superstitious we humans are. Just because the brand of beer happens to have the same name as a deadly virus doesn’t mean that it’s undrinkable or in any way connected to it. But that’s the nature of the human animal. (smile) And as always friends, we here at Scrip-Bits believe in acting as catalysts, to help us stay strong in the Word of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to give us hope, help us stay imprisoned by it, because without hope, we might as well be dead; in fact without hope, spiritually, we are indeed dead. 

So today, let’s latch on tightly to the hope infusing words of Psalm 130 – My soul waiteth for the Lord. Yes my brethren, the Lord and His awesome and everlasting Word, which never changes or dies, is indeed the fountainhead of hope! And right now in these scary and frightening times, we need divine hope and help more than ever. So let’s pray with the psalmist nuh: ‘Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark (take note of) iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?’ (Ps. 130:1-3) 

Now that’s a very good question my people. If the Lord should take note of all our iniquities and punish us for them, who shall stand afterwards eh? None of us! ‘For all have sinned and come (fallen) short of the glory of God.’ (Rom. 3:23) Oh yes, we’ve fallen far short of God’s righteousness, as the scholars explain: ‘3:23. For all have sinned: The human need and the divine provision are alike applied universally. Come short of the glory of God: man can exceed his own standards, but never, left to himself, can he attain to God’s standard of righteousness.’ 

And nobody knows this better than our Creator, who made us with all our faults and frailties, and that’s why in His eternal wisdom and divine mercy and LOVING-kindness, He’s made ample provision for our iniquities. As the psalmist continues: ‘But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared (held in reverential awe).’ (Ps. 130:4) Oh friends, how mighty and wonderful is the word ‘forgiveness’ and all that it implies! For without it, we would have no hope at all. That’s the divine option that gives us hope! All the other things like LOVE, mercy, and grace are indeed important, but without forgiveness we’d still be in the same khaki pants; lost and doomed to damnation and hell-fire! 

And how do we access these essential things called  hope and forgiveness. It begins, like the psalmist says: ‘I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.’ Now that’s the first movement in the divine symphony; patience (perseverance) and trust in His Word. But how do we get patience and trust in God’s word eh? By knowing it; hearing it, reading and studying it. Remember the immortal words of God to Joshua when He appointed him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. 

‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) The Lord couldn’t have been any plainer or more explicit than that my people. It’s by reading and studying His Word and doing what’s written in there that we can achieve prosperous and successful lives! So in these uncertain and disastrous times, it’s plain to see that we have to get into God’s Word more than ever, and do what it says we ought to. 

As the psalmist continues: ‘My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.’ (Ps. 130:6) Yes friends, he is hungry for the Lord! And that’s how we have to be also, especially in these calamitous times, for the Lord God Almighty, the One who created us, is the ONLY One who can truly save us! Thus the psalmist concludes: ‘Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-kindness), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:7-8) 

Oh my fellow believers, it is imperative that we turn to the Lord God Jehovah and cry out to Him for deliverance if we truly want to get rid of this Covid-19 scourge that’s currently plaguing the earth. Remember, as the scholars said above, in his own strength, man can never achieve the righteousness of God, and that also extends to his wisdom and ingenuity. Therefore, since we can’t find the answer to our problem, we need to go to a Higher Power; the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! That’s where we will find ALL the answers! 

And now, for those of us who truly believe that and sincerely try to adhere God’s Word, let’s go home joyfully declaring (yeahhh!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our enviable position in Christ Jesus. In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘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 yes, my faithful brethren, regardless of what’s happening in our world today, we who sincerely believe and try to do God’s Will, will indeed have a glorious future with Jesus; one, more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! Much LOVE!

…prayer and supplication…perseverance and thanksgiving…our most urgent needs at this time…

Today​’s Scrip-Bit 26 March 2019 Deuteronomy 31:8.

26 Mar 2019 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 31:8.   ​And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
 
Well a blessed and prosperous day to all you my Scrip-Bit friends and family! We’ve gotten over our Monday Blues and we’re now headed steadfastly for the Promised Land of Friday and another exciting weekend! Isn’t that good news? It surely is! 

Ah mih people, we all know that life’s not easy, especially in these unfortunate times of much war and strife, but as true believers in Christ Jesus, we do have that assurance that all will be well with us, if we just hold on to Him and stay the course like good soldiers. And it is our avowed intention through the Bit to help us do just that!

We’re not here to ‘preachify’ (smile) but to act as a catalyst, a way and means of staying focused and grounded in the Lord and His Word, for that’s the only way we will ever grow, mature and have good success! So please don’t think that reading the Bit is enough. No! It’s only the beginning, the start of your own intimate and personal daily journey of prayer, study and meditation. It hopefully gets you going and keeps your mind on the Lord and His wonderful Word. 

And I think you’ve gotten the picture by now, so enough talk. (smile) Here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that will help us handle the day, whatever it brings against us. It’s titled, ‘At Such Times.’ 

Please pray with me: ‘God, there are times In the midst of heartache and heartbreak When there is no comfort, no solace Anywhere at all. There are times When in my crumbling state of mind I feel I can no longer endure – Not for a day, not even an hour. 

It is at such times, O God That I draw heavily Upon your unfathomable LOVE. At such times I implore Your transforming peace. At such times I live By the power and promises Of a Father who cares infinitely more Than I can begin to grasp or comprehend. Today, dear God, is “such a time.” 

Ah friends, as I said above, what confident and quiet reassurance we have in the trust and promises of our wonderful God! And if by chance, today is a day where you are shaking it real rough, then don’t be afraid to cry out to Him for help and comfort! Because that’s what He’s there for! 

Just like our children cry out to us earthly fathers when they find themselves perplexed or in trouble, our heavenly Father wants, expects us to call out to Him before anyone else! So please don’t put yourself through any unnecessary worry, stress and strain by looking to others to help solve your problems. Look to God FIRST, and if He so desires, He will guide you to someone else to help! 

Please don’t allow foolish pride and any other nonsense to keep you from seeking and enjoying the benefits that the Lord has provided for His saints. And the Bible promise for today’s poem is also our Bit. ‘And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ 

Oh what magnificent words of comfort and reassurance spoken by Moses to the Israelites! But yuh know, because of foolish pride or whatever, they didn’t believe nor follow them, that’s why they wandered aimlessly in the wilderness for forty years and never entered the Promised Land. And the same thing will happen to us today if we don’t seriously take hold of God’s promises and apply them to our daily lives! 

Please remember that whatever is written in the Good Book is for OUR BENEFIT, not the Lord’s, and when we follow it we are the ones who benefit, not the Lord. Granted, He’s happy when we follow His Word, but nothing will happen to Him if we don’t, we are the ones who will suffer the consequences. 

So please, please, let’s wake up and smell the roses nuh. Let’s not be like the unbelieving, unfaithful Israelites! Would you believe that only two verses before our Bit, Moses also encouraged them with these fateful words? ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Deut.31:6) 

Oh my people, how many times do we have to hear that the Lord goes both before and with us in this life before we truly believe it eh? Many of us have experienced His wonderful blessings before in times of trouble, but forget them when more trials appear. 

That’s wrong friends. Those are times on which to build our faith, so that when more trials appear, as they surely will, we won’t be so discombobulated, because we remember God’s goodness, His mercy, LOVE, grace and forgiveness in earlier times. And if He’s done it for us once, there’s no reason for Him not to do it again! 

And all God’s children declared (right ho) a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord for His undeserving goodness to the children of men. We LOVE you and bless your holy name! Amen!’ Awright mih breddren! So let’s take heart, be of good courage and trust in the Lord, so that He will make our paths straight. 

Now let’s declare (right ho) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. In strong voice and sincere sense of purpose: ‘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 if you really mean it, then let’s go out and share that LOVE and friendship with others as Jesus so greatly desires of us. Much LOVE!

…if you won’t accept the promises…then what’s the sense in believing…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 October 2018 Proverbs 24:30.

22 Oct 2018 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 24:30.    ​I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

 

Well hello there you beautiful believers in Christ Jesus! It’s a beautiful day here in Mo Bay; the sun’s shining brightly, the cool sea breeze is washing over me while I write and listen to the sounds of the surf rushing up on the shore intermixed with friendly talk, laughter and a cool, drum-filled, easy riddim chanting, floating up from four floors down. I’m rocking slightly as I listen to it and try to concentrate on what I’m doing…li’l bit hard though. (smile) 

Well I’ve had breakfast, and my after-breakfast nap too, so I’m rearing to go. Now hear the news…I’ll tell it quietly (smile) ‘It’s Monday!’ And I’m sure that when many of us got up this morning and realized that the workday merry go round was about to begin again, a lot of ‘Chuhs!’ and ‘Steups’!’ and language not fit to print here, emanated from the mouths of many Christians. 

Oh mih people, what can I do to get us to venerate Mondays eh? Because, even with good planning, we still seem to come up on a short and testy rein on Monday mornings. But please remember that when your Monday blues come upon you, all you have to do is join us for the sure-fire antidote; our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. Glory Be! How wonderful it is to have an antidote for whatever ails us on Mondays. 

Oh, and I’ll just like to extend a hearty welcome to some folks who recently joined our Scrip-Bit Family. Hope you enjoy it, as we’re all about enjoying life in Jesus, while learning His Word and spreading His LOVE Revolution all around the globe as He desires of us. But please remember that the Bit is no excuse to not read your Bible and learn the Word for yourself; it’s just a catalyst to help you keep the Lord first and foremost in our minds. 

And having preambled so much, let’s get to our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. Let’s pray up such a storm in Jesus name, so that the father can only grant our requests. All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

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

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Wow! I know for sure that had a good and positive impact on you! Once it invokes the name of Jesus it will have such and impact! And I’m here rocking to the music, trying to figure out what they’re chanting, but the voices are not strong enough. But that’s probably a good thing, because it might just distract me even more. And I don’t have much to say this morning – Hn! 

I’ll just let Cousin Sol warn us with some wise words that might be particularly appropriate to our behaviour on a Monday morning. Listen up, and let these wise words of warning flood our hearts, minds, souls and bodies as they were intended to. Cousin Sol declares: ‘I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face (surface) thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.’ (Prov.24:30-31) 

Oh friends, doesn’t that sound like so many of us today? It surely does, because we’re becoming a more slothful society each and every day. Diligence and excellence are slowly disappearing from our vocabulary and the work ethic has completely gone down the drain! Steups! What a sad say eh when you can’t depend anymore on someone to do a good job. But please remember that as members of Jesus’ posse, diligence and excellence are major watchwords of His, and you can’t be a good follower unless you strive for those qualities. 

Now hear Cousin Sol continue his warning. ‘Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.’ (Prov.24:32) Yes my brethren, Cousin Sol wisely considered the vineyard of the slothful man…and what happened? He was given instruction! Glory be! And I sincerely hope that we too can pay close attention to the affairs of the slothful, lazy and indigent person and learn from their mistakes. 

And what instruction was Cousin Sol given? ‘Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep (rest): So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth (a prowler); and thy want as an armed man.’ (Prov.24:33-34) 

And I’ll let the scholars explain it all. ‘24:30-34. The slothful is too lazy to keep thorns and nettles out of his vineyard or to keep his stone wall repaired (v.31). His laziness is further exhibited in sleeping late when he should be working (v.33). Therefore, his poverty will come as one that travelleth; that is, a bandit or vagabond. Small surrenders lead to great disasters.’ 

Oh friends, I couldn’t put it any better myself, so please let’s learn that lesson as quickly as possible, so that we can keep away the vagabond called poverty. Got to hurry and go and meet the duchess down by the beach now, so that she doesn’t get tired of waiting on me. Remember, a happy wife, usually leads to a happy life! (smile) Much LOVE!

…those who have ears to hear…let them hear…a word to the wise is sufficient…