Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 January 2017 Matthew 5:13-14.

10 Jan 2017 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:13-14.   Ye are the salt of the earth…Ye are the light of the world…

Ah friends, it’s a snowy Tuesday afternoon in my neighbourhood, and I so wanted to get the Bit our earlier, but as they say the best laid plans of mice and men usually go astray. 

I’m still trying to find a new balance in this era of heart problems and it’s not proving to be very easy. But fear not, our wonderful and omnipotent God is in full command and in His time, all will work it self out for good. 

And to help us come to terms with whatever problem(s) we are facing today, here is this li’l reminder from our Hour of Power Devotional by Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H Schuller) that’s simply titled ‘GOD LOVES ME!’ 

Please pray with me: ‘Thank you, Lord, for this holy sentence, this good news, this happy report, this exciting thought, this graceful truth, this fantastic lesson. God LOVES me! Even when I’m at my worst – God LOVES me. Even when my faith is dim – God LOVES me anyway! It’s incomprehensible and fantastic! Thank you, Father. Amen.’ 

And isn’t that the gospel, gospel truth friends? Our wonderful, amazing, awesome and incomprehensible heavenly Father LOVES us in what ever state we may be in; good, bad or indifferent! And that will NEVER change! Glory Hallelujah! We are so blessed and don’t truly realize it nuh. 

Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘Ye are the salt of the earth…Ye are the light of the world…’ Yes my fellow believers, that’s how our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ desires us to be in this lost and fallen world – salt and light! 

Yesterday we looked at the salt aspect, today, let’s look at the light portion. Jesus puts it thus: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), 

But on a candlestick (lamp stand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt.5:14-16) 

Ah mih people, our Saviour wants us to shine, and shine so brightly that we light up this entire world of darkness! 

Hear how the scholars explain those verses. ‘5:14-16. Ye are the light of the world describes the essential mission of the Christian to the world. He is the condition (salt) to meet the world’s needs and he has a mission (light) to the world. His light is to clearly shine forth into the darkness of human depravity. 

He is to set his light upon a candlestick, not hide it under a bushel, that is a basket. Darkness is the absence of light; and darkness alone cannot dispel the light, but the smallest light can dispel the greatest darkness.’ 

Always remember that please friends; the smallest light can displace great darkness! Once there is light, the darkness will flee! That’s why we need to shine, regardless of the intensity, for any bit of light is better than darkness. 

And as always, the bottom line of our earthly behaviour is to glorify our heavenly Father! That’s our number one reason for being! I wonder how many of us though, even consider the effect our actions have on the glorification of our great God? 

And I think that’s where a lot of us err; we don’t think enough, or sincerely about the effect our actions have on the glory of God. 

Oh, I know it’s not possible to consider the effect of every action, but overall I believe we can do a better job in that department, because that’s where people are either drawn to Christ or are turned away from Him. 

And I do believe that too many people are being turned away from Him these days by our less than stellar salt and light actions. But friends, it is of the utmost importance in these days of worldwide strife, anger and bitterness, we followers of Jesus give the world a peaceful and comforting place to come and lay down all their burdens. 

It’s becoming more essential everyday that we be true salt and light in this wicked world. So let’s try and up the ante nuh, so that others can find a true place of rest in Jesus. Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra with a positive outlook and sense of purpose. 

As one now: ‘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!’  Much LOVE!

…shine on…shine on…you believers…shine on…shine on for Jesus…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 December 2016 Zephaniah 3:17.

27 Dec 2016 Leave a comment

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

Zephaniah 3:17.   The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in (quiet you) in his LOVE, he will joy over thee with singing.

Ah mih breddren, it’s Tuesday, the last day of this extra long weekend! Let’s hope that we all used the earlier portions properly, raising up Christ as the most important part of it all, for the whole shebang is all about His marvelous and miraculous birth! 

And since the Christmas season is not yet over, I want to share with us this morning ‘A Christmas Prayer,’ from my Hour of Power Devotional by Gramps Schuller (Dr, Robert H. Schuller). 

Please read with me. ‘You lead me, Jesus Christ, to thoughts of God. I see you in a manger carved from a tree. I see you as a young man with hands that reach to touch hearts that hurt. Your caring reaches out like the strong and kind branches of a gentle tree reach out to invite road-weary and travel-worn wayfarers to quiet rest. 

I see you again hanging on a tree with outstretched arms taking in the whole world. From your cross, you show me that God will stop at nothing to save my soul. So, I celebrate God’s LOVE today as I celebrate your birth around a twinkling Christmas tree. 

I pray my life, like yours, O Lord, may be tall and upright as a pine tree pointing, reaching, sharing, sparkling, life-giving, solid, sturdy, strong-rooted in God’s LOVE, a beautiful soul, evergreen forever. Amen.’ 

Oh friends, isn’t that beautiful? It surely is! Gramps Schuller covers the whole gamut, from birth to death in words and feelings so rich in imagery that we can’t escape its hold. 

And wouldn’t it be wonderful if our lives can be tall and upright like a pine tree, exhibiting all those graceful and grateful aspects of Christianity, which can only be accomplished if our roots are deep and strong in God’s LOVE! 

Yeh, it certainly would turn this evil and ungodly world upside down on its ear. (smile) So let’s keep working diligently on it nuh my fellow believers, and not waste Christ’s birth, life and death, as we seem to be currently doing. 

Be that as it may though, let’s check out this interesting Bit that I was led to today. ‘The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in (quiet you) in his LOVE, he will joy over thee with singing.’ 

That is the wonderful promise the Lord made to His people Israel through the prophet Zephaniah, of their ultimate supremacy. And friends, that is exactly what the Lord began with the birth of Jesus! He came mightily in our midst, to save us, to bring us comfort and joy, with songs of celebration! Oh what a wonderful God we serve, my faithful breddren! 

And would you believe that earlier on in that same chapter there are two more promises along those lines. In the first part of the chapter that deals with Jerusalem’s sin and redemption, the scripture says thus. 

‘The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgement (justice) to light, he faileth not (never fails); but the unjust knoweth no shame.’ (Zeph.3:5) 

Then later on, the Good Book declares: ‘Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgements, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see (fear) evil (disaster) any more.’ (Zeph.3:14-15) 

And did our ever-faithful and ever-LOVING God ever fulfill those promises beginning with the birth of Christ! 

And through His Holy Spirit, our marvellous God has given us all the tools so that we won’t fear, but can rejoice in comfort, for our salvation has been paid for by the spilled blood of Christ, and life eternal, in His wonderful company is ours to bask in. What more can we ask eh friends? Not much really. 

Now I want to share two last scriptures, both from Isaiah, re our God’s rejoicing over us. While talking of the restoration of Zion, Isaiah declares: ‘For as the young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.’ (Is.62:5) I just LOVE promises like that! 

Now hear this final scripture of promise under new heavens and a new earth. ‘And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 

There shall be no more thence an infant of days (who lives but a few days), nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die a hundred years old; but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.’ (Is.65:19-20) 

Oh friends, I can surely live with promises like those! Now let’s go home strengthening ourselves in the promises of God, by declaring our Tuesday Mantra, with the zest, the passion and strong belief it deserves. 

As one now: ‘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!’ 

Oh people, oh people, what can be better than being LOVED by an omnipotent, caring and compassionate God, and being a friend of Jesus eh? Nothing my brethren, absolutely NOTHING! Much LOVE!

…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 August 2016 Ephesians 3:20.

30 Aug 2016 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 3:20.   Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

Well my faithful brethren, it’s another wonderful sunny morning in my neighbourhood! Glory be! 

However, we could certainly use some rain. The ground is hard and dry and plants are suffering some. But we know that our God is still in control of His universe and His thoughts and ways are much higher than ours, so we just have to use our faith to bear up under whatever He decides is best for us at this time. 

Now here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that caught my interest and made me want to share it. It’s titled ‘Knowing God Intimately.’ 

Please read with me. ‘How do we learn to know God so intimately that all of life takes on a new freshness? We acknowledge that God is the instigator. We would not be wanting Him if He did not first want us. Even a glimmer of spiritual desire is His desire planted in us. 

We resign from our self-appointed office as president of the “Me First Club,” which gives God the privilege of saying, “Good! Now I’ll promote you.” 

We focus on Jesus Christ, God’s Son. It is never a matter of how conspicuous we are. It only matters that He is conspicuous in us. We make no promise of perfection. All the perfection we’ll ever have is the perfection of Jesus living in us. 

We let God’s Word saturate our hearts. Five or ten minutes each day is far more helpful than three hours once a week. We trust God to do within us what we cannot do, knowing that He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.’ 

Oh faithful friends in Jesus, what a beautiful and most useful description of how to get to know our wonderful God intimately! 

We first lay down our post of head of our selfishness club, so that God can use and promote us, because He cannot, or rather won’t do anything if we hold on to pride of first place in our own lives. Yes my people, above all else, we need to recognize God as El Numero Uno; Number ONE! 

And isn’t it strange that we can’t want Him until He first plants a seed of wanting in us? And having given God first place in our lives, we then focus on Jesus Christ His wonderful Son who selflessly gave up His holy and sinless life to save us. Oh glory to God! 

And yet again, what truly matters is how Jesus is perceived in us, not we in Him. And our perfection is found in Him, the ONLY perfect being, through His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, leading and guiding us on a path of righteousness. 

And to help bring all of that to pass, we need to read and study and meditate on the Word of God, let it flourish in our lives, so that we can be fully rooted and grounded in all that He has promised, since He can do way way more than our finite minds can even imagine. Wow! 

And the Bible Promise for that poem is also our Bit for today. ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.’ 

Ah mih people, what a joy and pleasure it is to know that there is someone more powerful than us, under whose umbrella of LOVE we can safely lay our lives, our burdens and all our earthly cares! 

And how does all of that affect us? Well here Bruh Paul is praying for the inner growth of the Ephesians, and by extension us too. 

He tells them: ‘Wherefore I desire (ask) that ye faint not (not lose heart) at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.’ (Eph.3:13-15) Oh friends, we are a part of that family! How wonderful! 

Now here are some explanations of those verses from the scholars. ‘3:13. Which is your glory: God will use Paul’s tribulation and sufferings in the ministry to spiritually benefit his recipients. Such edification will then bring about glory on their part in that they praise and honour God.’ 

‘3:14. For this cause: This expression resumes the apostle’s prayer begun in verse 1 but delayed by the discussion of verses 2:13.’ Now why doesn’t that surprise me eh? Bruh Paul was so intense, had so much godly desire for those under his spiritual care, that at times his message could be complicated and long winded. I can certainly appreciate that. (smile) 

’3:15. Is named means “is derived.” The whole Christian family, including those saints now departed and in heaven, and those saints still living on earth – all of them “derive” their spiritual life from God.’ 

So friends, our Maker becomes the undeniable Mover and Shaker in our lives when we wisely offer to live under His protection and guidance. More on all of this tomorrow, God in favour. Now let’s go home proudly and sincerely declaring our Tuesday Mantra …thought I’d forgotten nuh. (smile) 

‘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 we were sincere in that declaration, then we need now to go out and put it all into action, for that’s what Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!

…beloved children of God…and friends of Jesus…are expected to joyfully share His LOVE and His Word…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 February 2016 Psalm 40:4‏‏‏

02 Feb 2016 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 40:4.   Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Oh friends, this Tuesday morning we’re going to begin with a simple but oh so true statement from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This statement begins the February writings.

And all it says is that ‘Following God is something far more thrilling than anyone has dared to dream.’

And that’s the undisputable truth my brethren, because truly following God brings about things and circumstances in our lives that our finite human minds can’t even begin to comprehend much less imagine.

And I can vouch for that, since some of the things that have happened in my life over the last few years, as I try to live right and obey the Word, have surely blown my mind.

Some unexplainable things have happened that left me wondering why, and it’s only later on when other circumstances came into play that I realized their importance and how the Lord had situated me to be able to handle those unforeseen circumstances.

Oh friends, our God is indeed a great miracle working and faithful God, and He will not let the faithful suffer more than is necessary.

As Bruh David exclaimed in Psalm 40 from which our Bit is taken. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me; and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.’ (Ps.40:1-2)

Oh yes my fellow believers, once we cry out unto our ever-faithful God with a true sense of purpose and righteousness, He will hear and heed our cry! Not necessarily in our time, but in His.

And remember our great God is never late! He might be a bit tardy in our estimation, but He ALWAYS saves the day, for His timing is perfect!

Now He did not only bring Bruh David up out of the miry clay pit, but listen: ‘And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.’ (Ps.40:3)

Oh glory to God my people! When our God looks after us, He also puts new songs of praise in our hearts and mouths that cause the heathen to see and fear and eventually believe in and trust in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

Now that is how Christ’s LOVE Revolution has been planned to take over the world; by the righteous lives and godly actions of His followers! So why does Lucifer and his evil minions have the upper hand right now eh?

Simply because we are not doing our job, our duty to set a proper example for the heathen and the unbelievers. We are too taken up with our fleshly lusts and the ungodly things of the world. But friends, our Bit spells it out for us in spades: ‘Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ 

Yes my people, we cannot do the Lord’s work properly unless we stop admiring the proud and deceitful in our sinful society and begin truly trusting in our wonderful God! It’s just not possible to do both at the same time, because they are as different as night and day.

Remember what Jesus said: ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’ (Matt.6:24)

And isn’t that the gospel truth! And the scholars have this wonderful explanation of that oh so important verse. ‘6:24. This kind of spiritual double vision causes one to believe he can serve two masters. Total loyalty to God cannot be divided between Him and loyalty to one’s material possessions. A master (Gr. kurios) is a lord or an owner.

That God claims total lordship over His own is obvious in this passage. Therefore, Jesus rightly proclaimed, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. The term mammon is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions or wealth. Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement toward wealth.’

And sadly my fellow believers that is exactly what we do! We live our lives enslaved to the getting of wealth and earthly possessions, even to the extent that we are not able to enjoy either the wealth or the possessions because we are always seeking to increase them both.

So if we don’t even have time to enjoy the things we are killing ourselves to get, how can we ever have time for God eh? We also need to remember these words of Jesus, this awesome promise. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33)

What part of that don’t we understand eh mih breddren? If we aren’t following and believing Jesus’ words, then it’s obvious that our trust in Almighty God is not up to scratch!

Oh, there’s not much more I can say nuh mih people. I can only bring the truth of God’s Word to you, each individual has to decide how they will live their own lives, serving either God or mammon.

And since it’s Tuesday, let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, or the prayer of the Beloved.

Altogether, sincerely now: ‘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.’ 

Glory to God my people! Now let’s go out and live those words nuh, because they are indeed the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!

…as the old people were wont to say…however you make up your bed…that is how you’ll have to sleep on it…and that’s no lie…

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 







 



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