Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 March 2016 2 Peter 3:18‏

10 Mar 2016 Leave a comment

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

2 Peter 3:18.  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Oh friends, the ole fella’s a mess; tired and out of sorts…but I am at home, my comfort level has been raised, because they say that home is where the heart is, and though I LOVE Tobago dearly, it’s in the cold North country that I am currently domiciled. 

Now yesterday was indeed a crazy day. I got up pretty early so that I could write the Bit then finish packing, and I don’t know how many of you realized the nonsense that I did. First of all I did not include the Wednesday Wail. I only realized that last night while sitting down listening to Uncle John (John Hagee) trying to get back into my old routine. 

Then just now, when I read the Bit I discovered that I had written it as though it were Tuesday, complete with the Tuesday Mantra and all. Ah Lord eh! And as I just looked back at Tuesday’s Bit, the Tuesday Mantra wasn’t included. 

What a mess up! Friends, you’ll just have to forgive the ole fella yes, because he’s just showing His age and human frailty. (smile) 

And I am somewhat annoyed with you all, because when I mess up so badly I expect somebody to let me know. That means you all are either not reading the Bit, or not paying serious attention to it, which isn’t very encouraging. 

Anyway, what I believe really happened is that I was so taken up with leaving sweet Tobago, the packing, the seeing of friends and family for the last time and the feeling of sadness that obviously crept in, my poor brain just could not function properly. All of that though is just the Lord’s way to test your Christian sense of forgiveness. (smile) And I know that I am forgiven. 

But it truly was a rough day yesterday. I don’t know how many times I packed and unpacked the numerous heavy bags we had; from the house to the car, then from the car to the check in. 

Luckily I got a porter to take them from the arrival lounge to the car outside, but I had to pack them in the house again when I got home. By then I had spent some 7 or eight hours en route, most of them cooped up in a li’l tin can plane with barely any leg room, like sardines, leaving T&T around 1 p.m T&T time, not arriving in T.O. until 6.30 p.m T.O time, which is an hour different. 

And believe you me, T.O has the worst, yes I said the worst wheelchair service at any airport. Yes the ole fella has to use the wheelchair service now because he can’t walk the long distances between the arrival and departure points any more, especially with heavy hand luggage. 

One poor lady who couldn’t walk at all, and who was using the service for the first time was totally taken aback at the number of hold ups we were forced to endure. There never seems to be enough people or wheelchairs to ferry the passengers in Toronto. 

And then their main concern is to get your boarding pass so that they can record it, to possibly show how many people they serviced. Don’t know if they get paid by the numbers or what, but at each level, that’s always the first requirement. And even though they have state of the art golf-carts to move you around some, the service is very poorly run. 

Apparently this lady had once been a social worker, and she was truly appalled at the inferior service. She expected it to be better than T& T’s, but it certainly isn’t. So by the time we got to immigration all the other two hundred and odd people on our plane had already gone through, and at the baggage carousel, only the few bags of the seven wheelchair passengers remained. 

You can just imagine the duchess’ reaction. Hn! Sadly, she always gets saddled with my slow process. But what can you do eh? As a concerned and caring wife, you have to stay and support your not so ambulatory husband. (smile) 

And then, wonder of wonder, we arrived in T.O to 17 degree Celsius temperature. Mama yo! 17 degrees in the middle of March? That is unheard off! Inside the house was colder than outside. I had to turn up the heat. 

And right now it’s about ten or eleven with rain. Thank the Lord! I’m certainly not complaining, because the warmer temps are helping me to reintegrate myself much more easily than if it had been bitterly cold as it usually is in early March. 

And that’s the story of my life. Let’s hope there are no more screw-ups. (smile) And please friends, if I do screw up, please let me know nuh. I’m only human, and can’t catch everything. Thank you. 

Now we can finally turn to our Bit. ‘But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.’ 

Well I certainly hope I did some of that yesterday, because my Christian behaviour was truly tested by the waiting and the many security checks and all the other nonsense that is involved in airplane travel these days. 

Again, the Lord puts us through these things to test us, to see if we can truly walk our talk. On the scale of 1 to 10, I must have been around a 7, which is not too bad, all things considered. I didn’t complain too much, and my patience was fair. I was encouraging others to be patient. Hn!

And as we saw yesterday from Bruh Paul’s writing on the new life in Christ to the Ephesians, as Christians we have to be strong and steadfast in our faith. We can’t afford to be childlike and swayed by every evil and cunning doctrine introduced by man. That means we have to become, and then continue to be spiritually mature. 

And we’ll end today with this explanation from the scholars on the subject. ‘4:14-15. Two results occur when Christians reach spiritual maturity. (1) Negatively, they will no longer be children, that is, immature believers easily deceived by every wind of (false) doctrine; and (2) positively, they will grow up into him, that is fully grown in all aspects of Christian living – doctrine, conduct, service and so on. 

But speaking the truth in LOVE, may grow up may be read “by LOVINGLY teaching the truth, we will grow up.” Christian maturity is attained, in part, by thorough instruction in sound doctrine giving in a LOVING manner.’ 

And that’s indisputable truth my brethren! So please, let’s go out today, and every day, and try to grow thus nuh, for that is indeed the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!

…as each day goes by…our Christian meat intake…ought to supplant at least a little of our milk diet…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 December 2014 Matthew 6:33

27 Dec 2014 Leave a comment

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

 Matthew 6:33.    But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 
 
And then it was Saturday! Another exciting day in the Christmas season Friends! (smile) Oh I know that many of us are tired from all the Christmas activity and just want to lie down and rest. Well what’s stopping you eh? Just do it.

If the body and soul are crying out for respite, then it’s your duty to give them respite. They can’t continue being stretched and stressed out without losing their power and elasticity. Like a rubber band, the more you stretch and pull them, the loser and less effective they become.
 
Anyhow, here’s an appropriate quote from my Friend Anselm, that’s meant to inspire you for a better tomorrow. And this one comes from Abraham Lincoln. It’s simple but full of wisdom. All it says is: ‘In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.’ And that’s oh so true my people!
 
Now here is Anselm’s take on the subject. ‘It doesn’t matter how long you live, but how much you lived during the time that you were here. So many of us get caught up with age and aging and forget that it’s not about turning back the clock or staying young forever, but trying to get the best feeling that you can out of each moment of your life.
 
Abraham Lincoln was known for being handy with words, so it’s no surprise that he was able to make a quote like this, especially since he was able to pack a lot of life in his 56 years.’
 
Now how much life are we willing to pack into our years eh? It all depends on us my people, for we choose the kind of life we want to live, be it positive or negative, filled with the Word and promises of Almighty God or with the ungodly and lustful things of the world.
 
And the smart money my brethren is always on the things of God, because they have more intrinsic value and last longer than the shallow, bright but flimsy and flaky things of the world.
 
That’s why Friends, I’m encouraging us on this last Saturday in 2014, to sit down and quietly and seriously ponder the direction of our lives. Let’s check on how we spent this past year. Did we do a good, bad or indifferent job? Did we make even some small difference in the world around us? Did we reach the goals we set?
 
And most importantly, did we make any headway in our New Year’s Resolution of following Christ more closely? Have we grown in maturity and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour? Remember, that is the ONLY real resolution you need to make, because once you concentrate on following Christ, everything else falls into place.
 
For as Jesus so rightly says in our Bit, which is taken from the Sermon on the Mount: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
 
Take therefore no thought for the morrow (therefore do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt.6:33-34)
 
Yes my fellow believers, when we seek God FIRST, He makes everything else fall into place for us. Now that doesn’t mean we don’t have to work and pay attention to things, but that we don’t need to strive and worry and feel anxious about our lives and livelihood.
 
As Jesus reminded the disciples before our Bit. ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, for what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)?
 
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)?
 
And why take ye thought for (worry about) raiment (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 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?
 
Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.’ (Matt.6:25-32)
 
Matter finished Friends! Jesus spells it our like it is. If our heavenly Father can look after the things of nature so well, why wouldn’t He look after us, His most important creation, just as well eh? Even Cousin Sol, in all his worldly finery, was no match for the simple lilies of the field.
 
So my people, the life affirming choice is now ours to make. Please, I implore us to use the great wisdom and common sense that’s at our disposal to make the correct one, for the colour and tenor of our earthly lives, as well as where we spend eternity depends on the choice(s) we make today. Nuff said. Much LOVE!
 
…a word of advice…one can never go wrong by choosing Jesus…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 December 2013 Matthew 6:25

06 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:25.   Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)?

 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday… a normal Friday, one without some foolish nickname that invites us to become a part of the evil, lustful world. Praise the Lord! Instead it’s a normal Friday, where I can’t hear my ears, (smile) for your joyous shouting of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and this week of slave labour soon over!’ 
 
But mih people, though it’s a regular Friday, it still falls within the Christmas Season, which means more shopping and partying and things that Jesus might look askance at. So to try and keep us on the straight and narrow, let’s chant our Friday Chant with total concentration and sincere feeling.
 
As one voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
 
Now that should guide us in the right direction. And on top of that, I guess the Lord chose this Bit for this most appropriate time, when we’re all in a tizzy about food, money and gifts to celebrate Christmas. But please remember my fellow believers that the worldly celebrations are not the reason for Christmas, but the incredible, God-LOVING, incarnate birth of Jesus Christ!
 
So even if we don’t have all the stuff we want, we have to learn to be contented with whatever we have. As Bruh Paul so rightly says to the Philippians, in appreciation of their gifts: ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.’ (Phil.4:11)
 
And that is something we have to consciously cultivate my brethren, for it doesn’t come automatically. And we need it even more nowadays in the face of the world continuously egging us on to want more, more, more…
 
That’s why Jesus warned us in our Bit: ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)?’ 
 
But I know it’s a daily fight my Friends to live up to Jesus’ warning, especially with all the wars and strife in our world and the economic situation getting worse for the majority of the population. The greedy, evil powers that be, are trying to get us caught up in the world system of materialism and want. 
 
But my people we have to staunchly and jealously guard our hearts, minds and souls against that. For once we get caught up in that evil mess, we’ll never know peace again, because we’ll never be contented, even with great wealth and power, but we’ll keep on wanting more and more, just as the rich, evil and greedy are now doing.
 
Now let’s listen to Jesus, as He continues His discourse on the topic. ‘Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)?
 
And why take ye thought (do you worry) for raiment? 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) 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.6:26-30)
 
Oh mih breddren, more plain and simple language from our Lord and Saviour! What does it take to convince us eh? The birds don’t sow and reap and store away, neither do the flowers in the fields, but even Cousin Sol in his Sunday best couldn’t outshine them.
 
And since we’re a thousand, thousand times more important than them, we ought to show that importance by being appreciative and thoroughly dependent on our God and His gracious, abundant will for our lives. For remember that our Lord only has good thoughts towards us, and a brilliant future in store for those who submit to His will. (Jer.29:11)
 
Now here are some interesting comments from the scholars’: ‘6:26-32. Jesus illustrates His point by referring to objects in nature that were immediately at hand, the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. The key point of this passage is found in the phrases Are ye not much better than they? (v.26) and shall he not much more clothe you? (v.30).
 
The Bible clearly teaches that God is the Creator and sustainer of nature. Worry and anxiety are related to the length of one’s life in the phrase add one cubit unto his stature. A cubit is a measurement of 18 inches. However, this reference is probably not to one’s actual height but to length of his life.
 
The term stature (Gr. helikia) may mean “age.” Thus the idea seems to be that a man cannot add the smallest measure to the span of his life by worrying. This state of anxiety is related to having little faith (v.30) Faith is total confidence in the provision of God.’
 
And that my fellow believers is the ultimate in truth and wisdom!
 
So let’s try and attain to it nuh. Let’s stop running after the inferior, soon to be destroyed things of the world nuh, and instead focus on the superior, everlasting things of heaven and of our omnipotent God. For it’s there our greatest benefits lie. Much LOVE!
 
…true contentment…can only ever come…from true confidence in Jesus Christ…