Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 January 2021 Ephesians 4:23.

01 Jan 2021 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 4:23.     ​And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

HAPPY  NEW  YEAR!

Well a Happy New Year to all my Scrip-Bit friends and family! May this year of 2021 be much kinder to all of us than 2020 was. But right from the start, let us realize one thing; we can’t behave the same way we did last year and hope to receive a different ending. That’s what a lot of us do, but it’s totally unreasonable, in fact downright foolish, for how can you do old things and expect to get new and different results eh? That means we have to do new and different things if we want this year to be better than the last. 

And all of that will only work if we make ONE New Year’s Resolution; to follow Jesus more actively and sincerely this year! That’s the ONLY Resolution we need to make, for once we follow through with it, everything else will fall into place. Like Jesus said, if we seek the Lord God Almighty and His kingdom of righteousness, all our needs will be provided for. So friends, I plead with us, let’s be much better ambassadors for Christ this year of 2021 nuh. We all know, if we are truthful with ourselves, that we won’t so hot last year, we were tried and found wanting to a great extent. So this year let’s sincerely try and do better nuh.

I know we all can improve if we set our minds to it, and Jesus is expecting us to bring light and peace and LOVE to this dark sinful, angry and evil world. We are his ears, hands and feet in the world today, so only if we buck up will the world begin improving. And how do we do all of that eh, you ask? Well it’s simple, but definitely not easy. (smile) First we begin to truly live life in the Spirit. As Bruh Paul said to the Romans: ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit…For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:1, 5-8) That’s it right there in a nutshell my people! If we live a carnal, fleshly, earthly life we cannot please God because that lifestyle doesn’t mesh with the things of God. And how do we get to that state of spiritual living? Well by first changing our mindset.

And Bruh Paul laid it all out to the church at Corinth. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.’ (2 Cor. 5:17-18) Yes friends, when we come to Christ, old ways of living need to be set aside, and though some of us have come to Christ for some time now, we’re still living life through our old habits, habits that the world find good, but which the Lord finds sinful. That brings us to this confusing but rather interesting direction from Bruh Paul to the Philippians.

‘Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of (according to) his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputing: That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights in the world.’ (Phil. 2:12-15) 

Wow! What a mouthful, but a useful one! Yes friends, we need to work out, not work for our salvation. Salvation is a free gift of God, but once we’re saved we need to begin doing the things that God requires of us, to live the way He wants us to, like Bruh Paul states above, don’t grumble and complain unnecessarily, stay clean and without fault – as much as possible (smile) so that we can shine as lights in this dark world like Christ desires of us. 

Oh my fellow saints in Christ, salvation is wonderful, but sincerely living for Christ in this evil and sinful world of ours is not easy, and it doesn’t just happen, we have to work at it. But the good news is that God is right in the mix helping us, because it’s His work we’re doing, and He’s always with us when we do His work sincerely. As Bruh Paul assured the Philippians earlier on. ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it (keep working on you) until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil. 1:6) 

Oh how sweet it is my brethren! God began the work in us, and He will keep on completing it until the day Jesus comes back for us! Glory Be. So we don’t have to worry about the work being completed, but we do have to do our part, which is to keep working on our behaviour; mental, spiritual, emotional and physical. And here are some more realistic and practical things we can do to achieve those aims, in the words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. 

‘That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to 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. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil. 

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:22-32) 

And there it is my brethren, the practical stuff we need to do to work out our salvation. And it’s nothing that we all don’t know, we just don’t put it into effect for one reason or another, that’s why our witness, our testimony is not as good as it ought to be. But we going to fix that this year eh….?

And I hear a loud shout of ‘Yes! We going to fix things for Jesus this year!’ So let’s do it nuh, starting right now! Much LOVE!

…you can’t truly LOVE Jesus…and not do His bidding… 

P.S. Yes, I left out the ordinary workingman’s speech and our Friday Chant, because I thought it more important that we begin the new year with a new appreciation of Christianity 101! (smile)Much LOVE! 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 December 2020 Ephesians 4:23.

16 Dec 2020 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 4:23.     ​And be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Welcome, welcome mih Scrip-Bit family to another day in the life! It’s brand new and not like any that’s ever gone before or will ever come again! Oh, it might seem like the same old, same old type of day, but it’s not, for everyday has its own purpose and distinctive marking, just like we all have different and unique fingerprints and DNA. That means we have to figure out, with God’s guidance of course, what He has on the agenda for each and every day and do our best, put our best foot forward to accomplish it, so we can bring the requisite glory to His name and kingdom. 

So it’s always best to begin the day on our knees, for those who can get down there (smile) with a prayer for guidance and strength, wisdom and discernment, to do His holy will. Otherwise, it’s so easy to get caught up and totally lost in the numerous events and circumstances that our busy and hectic world constantly provides, and keeps declaring that they are too important to simply let them pass by. 

But the truth is that many of them need to be allowed to go on their merry way rejoicing, for they are basically evil, or lies, deceits and deceptions of the evil one, sent, and set there so deliciously, like the harlot’s call, to titillate and inveigle us to do stuff that’s outside of God’s will. That’s why we have so many admonitions in the Good Book as to how to conduct our day. And today we’re just going to remind ourselves of some of them, so we can take the pressure off, and just rest in the peace of God. 

So here’s this first passage, one from Bruh Paul to the church at Ephesus. ‘And be ye 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. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph. 4:23-32) 

Whew! Oh mih people, yuh see how much wrong stuff we could get into in one day, and if we try to go it on our own every day, we certainly going into fall into the miry pit and give the devil so many opportunities to lead us astray. That’s why it is so necessary to invoke God’s protection and guidance, every day, and to pray without ceasing, and to always give thanks. And I know some of us are going to question the practicality of those words, but they are very practical if you make them habits. 

All through the day, ask the Lord to help you in doing your tasks, then thank Him for helping you do them. When you make a mistake, ask for forgiveness, then give thanks for it. And when you get away from an accident by the skin of your teeth, give much thanks! (smile) I can definitely tell you about that one, because it’s happened to me several times over the last few years. And if you’re always on the road, the reality of that is very great. Yes friends, there is a way to pray without ceasing and giving thanks continuously. We just have to keep God uppermost in our minds throughout the day. 

Another thing too, is this encouraging passage also from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians. ‘Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of) wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you (take up and put on) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph. 6:10-13) 

Yes mih bredrin, physical strife is not our greatest enemy, but the spiritual warfare that’s thrown at us by the hosts of spiritual wickedness in high places in this evil world. And we can only combat it when we’re girded about with the armour of God; His truth, his breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, His mighty word, and the ever-needed prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Bubba! 

It’s a mighty battle in which we’re engaged my fellow believers, one we’re not to take lightly, because it’s a very serious affair, and the devil is fighting tooth and nail for hegemony over our souls, and we can only withstand him when we are surrounded on all sides by our God and His protective equipment. Now here’s some good news on that battle front. ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor. 15:57) 

Yes friends, Christ has already given us the eventual victory through His conquering of hell, death and the grave, but meanwhile the battle still rages on, for the evil one still believes he can win, and he’s not a defeated foe, shades of our good ole boy Donald down in the good ole U.S. of A. (smile) ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:58) 

What more can I say eh friends? We just need to keep on fighting, keeping on running the race set before us with mucho stamina and courage! And to help us do just that, let’s declare (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our enviable position in Christ Jesus. 

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

And will that ever be a most glorious day when we reign with Jesus in His eternal kingdom! Much LOVE!

…to God be the glory…through Christ Jesus…