Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 March 2024 Isaiah 53:6.

30 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 53:6.       All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (put all our sins on him).

And then it was the most important lazy-day Saturday in our church history; Holy Saturday, when Jesus rested in the grave after His horrible crucifixion on Good Friday. Obviously, with their Leader treated like a common criminal, scourged and abused, then crucified naked to an old wooden cross on the rocky hillside of Golgotha outside of Jerusalem, great fear reigned amongst His followers. The religious leaders of the day, with that success in their pocket would obviously be on the war path, looking for other believers to persecute. And that situation was indeed fearful, but invariably, we don’t listen to Jesus properly, and our faith isn’t as strong as it ought to be. How many times when He was alive did He tell His followers, ‘Fear not,’ but they still feared, and we still do. 

And what about all the miracles they saw Him do? But yet they believed not sufficiently. The gospel of Luke relates it thus. ‘Then he took unto him, the twelve (disciples), and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished (fulfilled). For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated (insulted), and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them (perhaps divinely), neither knew they the things which were spoken. ’ (Luke 18:31-34) 

But even though all of that might have been divinely veiled from their understanding, by the time Jesus was abused and crucified, they ought to have remembered some of His words on the subject. But when fear for your life is uppermost in your mind, remembering stuff doesn’t seem that important. That brings us to where we left off yesterday in Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 53, on Christ’s foundational work as the Servant of the Lord. He continues: ‘All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (put all our sins on him). He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought (was led) as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.’ (Is. 53:6-7) 

Oh my people, that was just the opening salvo that Jesus faced in His effort to conquer and pay our sin debt. As the scholars explain: ‘All of us are compared to sheep … gone astray to illustrate the desperate condition of mankind, lost, without a Shepherd.’ And they reference Matt. 9:36. ‘But when he saw the multitudes, he (Jesus) was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted (were weary), and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.’ That’s the great level of compassion our Saviour felt for us lost sheep. 

And the scholars continue: ‘All and every are used in parallel, emphasizing the totality of sinful humanity. Laid on him is a causative verb meaning “to strike violently.” Thus Christ propitiates (appeases, accepts) the violent wrath of God for us. The fact that he opened not his mouth is illustrated by a lamb being brought to the slaughter. See John 1:29 and Rev. 5:6, 12.’ And the first reference tells us: ‘The next day John (John the Baptist) seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ (John 1:29) John the Baptist is alluding there to Jesus’ eventual crucifixion, illustrating it as how a lamb was used for sacrifice in the Passover (Ex. 12), and the sin offering (Lev. 4). 

And Isaiah’s prophecy rolls on: ‘He was taken from prison (out of oppression) and from judgement: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.’ (Is. 53:8-9) Now what does all of that mean eh? The scholars explain: ‘He was taken from prison and from judgement (justice) refers to the illegitimate trials to which Jesus was subjected. Who shall declare reads better “who had considered.” His generation refers to his potential life. The verb was cut off refers here to a violent death. The reference to the Servant making his grave with the wicked was certainly fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion between two thieves (Matt. 27:38). The additional phrase and with the rich in his death refers to Jesus’ burial in the tomb of the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57)’ 

But that’s not all. Isaiah continues: ‘Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise (crush) him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail (distress) of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil (plunder) with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.’ (Is. 53:10-12) 

And yes friends, we’ve seen all that Isaiah prophesied come to pass with Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Meanwhile the scholars offer these explanations: ‘Put him to grief reads “pierce” Him in the Dead Sea Scroll copy of the text. His seed refers to those who will come to believe in Him (that’s us). An offering for sin “guilt offering” involves the trespass offering described in Numbers 5:5-10. The phrase he shall prolong his days indicates that the Servant’s ministry will not end with His violent death, and certainly implies His resurrection. The pleasure of the Lord refers to God’s ultimate purposes which will be accomplished by the atoning death and resurrection of the Servant. The chapter ends with the glorification and exaltation of the Servant of the Lord. His intercession refers to His high priestly ministry, by which He makes intercession on the basis of His own substitutionary death.’ 

What a prophecy my fellow saints! One that was totally fulfilled with Christ’s birth, death, resurrection and ascension. We know that He suffered plenty, but bore it manfully, then rose triumphantly from the dead, and was exalted by the Father for His great work. So there’s nothing to worry about. Right now, on this Holy Saturday, Christ’s rests peacefully in the rich man’s tomb…until His momentous rising tomorrow. So let’s calm our own spirits by offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday prayer. 

As one voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And having said that, let’s relax in God’s LOVING presence and wait with eager anticipation, Resurrection Day, tomorrow! Much LOVE!

…rest assured…Christ…though now dead…will rise on the wings of LOVE…tomorrow…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 March 2024 Isaiah 53:4.

29 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 53:4.       Surely he hath borne our griefs (spiritual sickness), and carried our sorrows (severe pains): yet we did esteem (reckon) him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God, and afflicted.

And the loud shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ usually heard around the world on a Friday, the last day of the work week, are somewhat muted today, with a modicum of sorrow and sadness, because today we commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on the rugged hill of Calvary. What an awful time that must have been for Him, abused, debased, and shamed to the nth degree, all for our benefit. And though we know it was the price that had to be paid so our sins could be forgiven, it’s still difficult and somewhat overwhelming the things, the unimageable ‘sufferation,’ He was forced to bear, so we could be set free from the terrible bondage of sin. 

The Father didn’t deal gently with him at all, such was the high price required for our freedom. But, knowing that all our hopes and dreams were on His shoulders, our Saviour bore it all in silence, bore it like the strong man, the humble Son of God that He was. And these prophetic words of the Isaiah, spoken long before Christ’s birth and death, tell us of some of the problems He had to bear on our behalf. Isaiah speaks thus of the ‘Man of Sorrows.’ 

‘Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm (divine power) of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form (no stately form) nor comeliness (splendour); and when we shall see him, there is no beauty (appearance) that we should desire him. He is despised (disdained, scorned) and rejected (forsaken, abandoned) of men; a man of sorrows (severe pains), and acquainted with grief (sickness, injuries): and (because of His personal suffering) we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised (disdained, scorned), and we esteemed him not. 

Surely he hath borne our griefs (spiritual sickness), and carried our sorrows (severe pains): yet we did esteem (reckon) him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God, and afflicted. But he was wounded  (pierced through) for our transgressions (sins), he was bruised (utterly crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement (correction, discipline) of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes (blows that cut into His body) we are healed. (Is. 53:1-5) 

Wow friends! What an accurate prophecy of Jesus, His life and sufferings on our behalf. And the scholars explain thus: ‘In these verses we see the personal Messiah, the Son of God, who alone can atone for sin. His message is rejected (vs.1); His person is refused (vs.2); and His mission is misunderstood (vs.3). Nevertheless His vicarious (second hand) suffering provides atonement for our sins (vs. 4-6); and though He suffers (vs.7) death (vs.8) and burial (vs. 9, He will ultimately be exalted (vs. 10-12). To miss the fact that Jesus Christ is the central figure in this passage is to stumble in unbelief over the cornerstone and foundation of all the gospel.’ 

And sadly many in Jesus’ time, and many today, still miss that central fact that Jesus is the foundation, the cornerstone of our faith. Now let’s get some broken down explanations from  the scholars. ‘They say: ‘The rhetorical question Who hath believed our report? is more of an exclamation than an interrogation. Speaking for all the prophets, Isaiah calls attention to the world’s lack of faith in general. The arm of the Lord is the emblem of divine power (cf. 51:9; 52:10). The Servant is described as a tender plant (suckling or shoot) and a root out of a dry ground, which has already been described as springing from the stump of Jesse (hence the Davidic line). 

No form or comeliness denotes His humble origin rather than His personal appearance. Beauty may be read “elegance.” This description does not mean that He will be homely or ugly, but that He will not appear on the scene in the regalia of a king. He will come as one who is common. Nothing could better describe the humble appearance of Jesus as a common rabbi.’ 

Ah mih people, Jesus suffered so much on our behalf, that’s it’s a crying shame that so many of us have rejected Him down through the ages, and are still rejecting Him, at a crucial time when we need Him the most, when our world is overrun by evil, ungodliness and all the other negative attributes of Satan. 

And as the scholars further explain: ‘The description of Christ’s suffering in the New Testament Gospels clearly indicates the severity of His physical suffering: the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His battered face, the severe scourging (beating), and the torture of the crucifixion itself. His substitutionary atonement is clearly taught  by the words, ‘he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: stricken, smitten of God and afflicted, wounded for our transgressions, bruised (struck down) for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; the Lord disciplined Jesus so that we could be at peace with Him.’ 

That’s how much our Saviour paid for us to have the right of forgiveness of sin and eternal life. And yuh know the best part of it all friends, is by his stripes (his terribles wounds, injuries) we are healed! Just imagine that nuh. Although we have all turned away from God, in a totality of sinful humanity, the Lord laid all of our sins, our transgressions on Christ, struck Him down violently, because that was the only way our sins could be paid for. And to the acclamation of Jesus, He opened not His mouth throughout all the ‘sufferation,’ but went quietly, like a lamb to the slaughter on our behalf! 

Please friends, let’s wake up and acknowledge that Jesus bore a lot for us, and we can only partially repay Him, by living sincerely for Him; being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, spreading His good news gospel all over the earth, so that others can come to know and LOVE Him like do. Let’s wake up this Good Friday and realize what a magnanimous gesture both the Father and Christ made on our behalf, and find the gratitude in our hearts to do the best we can, and not merely abuse the privileges granted us, as so many supposed believers are doing. Much LOVE!

…Good Friday…a day to contemplate…the extent of sin in our lives…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 March 2024 John 15:13.

25 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 15:13.       Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Monday is here again friends, bright and not too chilly, and I sincerely hope that after our glorious Palm Sunday fellowship, we are strong and confident to handle whatever comes against us this Holy Week. And it was indeed a tough week for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as He experienced a lot of unnecessary and unjust hardship and ‘sufferation’ on our behalf; the worst of it been crucified on Good Friday, and left hanging naked in the hot sun to die of thirst and blood loss, like a common thief. Ah mih people, the things Christ suffered for us could only be based on one and only one thing: that’s LOVE! For nothing else would have caused Him to go through the immense pain, shame and disgrace that He so selflessly endured. 

It’s like He said to the disciples: ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ (John 15:13-14) Please note that Jesus laid down His sinless life for those whom He considered His friends. However, you can only be His friend if you do what He asks of you. And that’s what so many of us, His supposed friends and followers are not doing, otherwise our world would not be in such a dire state of evil and ungodliness! 

Christianity is all about LOVE and friendship; the things those two attributes make you want to do! First of all, it was LOVE that made the Father send Jesus to die for us, as the Bible tells us in no uncertain terms. ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) Then Jesus put up with all the painful sacrifice because He LOVED the Father and desired to do His will, and also to save us from a life of hellfire and damnation, in eternal separation from our Creator. 

But in light of all that LOVE and sacrifice we also need to do our part in this partnership, namely walk in LOVE and friendship, reciprocate the feelings our Triune God shows for us. As Bruh Paul so wisely and rightly wrote to the Ephesians: ‘Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in LOVE, as Christ also hath LOVED us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (aroma)… For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them… See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5: 1-2; 8-11; 15-21) 

Now my fellow saints, those are some of the basic things we ought to be doing if we are true believers in Jesus Christ. But unfortunately, too many of us are not doing what we ought and have instead reverted to our old and evil ways. Remember when we became Christians, we became new creatures, new creations in Christ, being required to put away our old way of life and adopt Christ’s new way. (2 Cor. 5:17) But sadly, we are falling down on the job, that’s why the enemy is running away with the world, while a comparative handful of supposed believers try to play catch up. 

But we will never catch up to, much less overtake the evil doers of this world unless ALL of us supposed believers get together, daily take up our crosses and tread the straight and narrow path Jesus desires us to travel. And John put’s it so nicely and simply in his first epistle. ‘Hereby perceive we the LOVE of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good (goods), and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion (his heart) from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him? My little children, let us not LOVE in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.’ (1 John 3:16-18) 

And that’s the gospel truth friends, for LOVE is an action word, not just a mouthful of spoken words, and it most certainly includes sacrifice on behalf of others. The Lord could have said He LOVED us and then did nothing to prove it. However He sacrificed His own Son, and broke His own heart in the process, so that a bunch of ungrateful sinners could gain salvation. But now we think it too difficult to put out a little effort on His behalf. That’s why so many of us supposed believers are suffering so much in this sinful and ungodly world – we’re not prepared to sacrifice, neither for ourselves nor for others! And if we don’t change that ungodly attitude soon, then… crapaud smoke we pipe! End of sermon! 

Now, let’s got to God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn seeking divine help to straighten out our selfish and lazy ways. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’ 

And I guess we should be seriously thinking about turning from our evil ways, if we expect to see any divine help. Much LOVE!

…to truly LOVE…means to be willing to hurt some…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 March 2024 James 5:16b.

23 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

James 5:16b.      The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much.

It’s a winter’s wonderland! Yes friends, this penultimate lazy-day Saturday in March has opened white and snowy, with a blinding sun shining down on the heavenly white precipitate. And is that ever a beautiful sight…when it is unsullied by man! I’m sorry for all those who had already put away their snow shovels and snow blowers, they now have to get them back out. And if you don’t have to go out in the snow, then it’s a perfect way to spend a lazy-day Saturday; meditating, lazing and admiring God’s beautiful handiwork. (smile) 

Now, let’s sincerely offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, seeking God’s eternal peace, His amazing LOVE and His awesome presence in our lives. Altogether: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And with those few, simple words of prayer, the Spirit of God’s peace, LOVE and presence manifest themselves in our spirits. It just shows the importance of sincere prayer that’s according to God’s will. And He will never reject a heartfelt plea for His LOVE, peace and presence! Let’s remember that, for when times get rocky and rough and our souls and spirits are in turmoil over the world’s circumstances. That brings us to these wise and fiery words of James, Jesus’ brother, on the importance of prayer in the believer’s life. 

He writes: ‘Is any among you afflicted (suffering)? let him pray. Is any merry (cheerful)? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church: and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults (trespasses) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. 

The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much. Elias (Elijah) was a man subject to like passions as we are (with a nature like ours), and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of (for) three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.’ (James 5:13-18) 

Now those verses of scripture can cause a lot of confusion if not properly understood. Prayer is of the utmost in any and every situation, but God doesn’t respond as we would like Him to in every one of those situations. It all depends on the Lord’s will and desire for each particular situation. In every situation, whether we use oil and prayer like in the olden days, or modern medicine in these times, it’s always the Lord who will perform the healing. And yes, some of great faith have not received the answers they desired for their prayers, while some of little faith have done so. 

But it’s nonetheless very important that we grow our faith and pray in each and every situation, for we know not what the Lord has in mind for that particular circumstance. It’s like the scholars explain: ‘Elijah experienced this prayer of faith, because he knew God’s Word and will, and so, persistently prayed (1 Kin. 18:36-37; 42-46). Faith is people acting in accordance with God’s known purpose (1 John 5:14)’ Now that verse says: ‘And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.’ 

The scholars then continue: ‘The prayer of faith does not include a gift of healing. It does not exert extraordinary spiritual strength (Acts 3:12); otherwise all spiritual Christians would be healthy. Nor does it merely involve the ritual of verse 14 (anointing and praying). The prayer of faith discerns God’s will and perseveres until it is accomplished. God’s will, however, is not to heal in every case, and true faith can discern and accept that (Rom. 8:26-27).’ 

And those verses tell us: ‘Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities (weaknesses): for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.’ (Rom. 8:26-27)  In other words, when we don’t know what or how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, by taking the interpretation of our inner feelings that we cannot put into words and taking them to the Father according to His will. 

Meanwhile, that other reference to Acts 3:12, is all about when Peter and John healed the blind man that sat at the temple door and the people marvelled and looked at them as though they had healed him through their own power. ‘And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly (intently) on us, as though by our own power or holiness (godliness) we had made this man to walk.’ (Acts 3:12) 

Then he told them about Jesus’ wrongful crucifixion. ‘But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer (Barabbas) to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince (Author) of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him, (comes through Jesus) hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.’ (Acts 3:14-16) 

In other words, it seems that John and Peter discerned the Lord’s will to heal this man and thus manifest His glory, so they prayed earnestly and the man was healed. It wasn’t necessarily because of their faith and righteousness. So, let’s hope that we all now understand a little more than we did before about the importance and effectiveness of sincere prayer highlighting God’s will in our lives, as well as the Holy Spirit’s wonderful intercession on our behalf when we don’t know what or how to pray. Much LOVE!

…discernment of God’s will…should be one of our everyday prayers…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 March 2024 Proverbs 27:1.

22 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 27:1.       Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Well, it’s that day, when all the voices around the world can’t help but sing ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Let’s hope that those who went to work on clear, dry ground this morning won’t be too unhappy when they have to make the evening drive home in snowy weather conditions. Yes, the snow has begun coming down in my area, and granted, right now it’s merely trickling down, but as my Jamaican people would say, ‘one one cocoa full basket.’ And that’s the truth, a little of anything builds up over time, so if the snow continues to fall, even as slowly as it’s now doing, by this afternoon a fair amount would have fallen and made driving and walking conditions difficult. 

So, a word of warning, unless you must go out, don’t go! (smile) And today we’ll talk about a very popular but unwise thing that we all do from time to time. It comes from the wise words of Cousin Sol in Proverbs, under the general heading of ‘The Wrath of a Fool. It says: ‘Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.’ (Prov. 27:1) And doesn’t that sound familiar. It certainly does! For as James, Jesus’ brother, so wisely wrote to the Jewish diaspora. 

‘Go to now (come now), ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain (make a profit): Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice (boast) in your boastings (arrogance): all such rejoicing (boasting) is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.’ (James 4:13-17) 

Oh my people, what wonderful words of wisdom and good advice are to be found in that passage of scripture! First, we make all sorts of pronouncements about our future without including God, without even asking for His opinion and/or direction. That’s not wise, for who knows what another day may bring, since our lives are as vapour, that’s here one minute and gone the next. A lot of people went to bed last night expecting to get up this morning and continue life as usual, only to be disappointed, because they were either too ill to get up or the Lord had called them home during the night. That just shows how little control we have over our lives. 

Again, many people who have left home this morning hale and hearty to go to work, won’t return home this evening because they either got sick at work and ended up in the hospital, or they met in a car accident and unexpectedly departed this life. So that should teach us two things; firstly, to always involve God in all of our decisions, to seek out His eternal wisdom on whatever we’re planning to do. And secondly, to always be good to the ones we LOVE, show them true appreciation, and tell them we LOVE them at every opportunity, for we don’t know if or when we will be unexpectedly separated. 

Now, all of that reminds us of the parable of the rich fool that Jesus told, when asked about dividing an inheritance between two brothers. First off, He warned: ‘Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.’ (Luke 12:15) Yes friends, the tentacles of the green eyed monster; envy, jealousy, selfishness and covetousness are rampant in our world today. We must remember though that our earthly possessions are not the most important things in our lives, for as we said earlier on, our lives are like a wisp of vapour; one minute here, then gone the next. So why spoil our already short lives by coveting and fighting for earthly things that we will just leave behind for others to fight over eh? It’s the height of foolish pride! 

Then Jesus told this most appropriate parable. ‘The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits (store my crops)? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow (store) all my fruits (crops) and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’ (Luke 12:16- 21) 

As usual, my fellow saints, Jesus did not mince words. He spoke it loudly and plainly. Those who don’t have God in their lives, as their guiding light, will eventually stumble and fall into the darkness of the evil one. Please, let us learn the necessary lessons from all that we’ve said this morning, so we don’t fall into Satan’s evil net. Now, it’s time to go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for help in these our desperate times of need. 

As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And I’d just like to remind us that no divine help will be forthcoming until we show the ‘trusting faith’ and be the good ‘examples of faithful believers,’ we spoke of in our prayer. Much LOVE!

…boasting…in and of ourselves…is the devil’s playground…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   20 March 2024 Psalm 119:97.

20 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:97.        O how I LOVE thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

And it’s like we’re not talking about spring, with the birds singing their joyful tunes, and the trees putting out some early buds, for it flurried all day yesterday, and some last night or early this morning, but not enough to make any worthwhile difference. And though the sun’s shining, and it’s not too chilly out there, the computer is advising a weather alert, with more snow in the forecast. Brother! That’s what we get for listening to those fake groundhogs and their shadows. What early spring did they see eh! Chuh! This is the kind of contrary weather that get’s people sick; mentally expecting one type of weather and dressing for it, only to experience the unpleasant reality of a different kind. 

But enough of the weather and it’s eccentricities, let’s turn to this prayer from the ‘Let Us Pray’ section of this month’s In Touch Devotional. As one voice: ‘God, I admit – I don’t always want to follow You. Some days, Your way seems narrow and lifeless. Yet I believe in the freedom You promise. Show me, Father, the abundant life found in keeping Your wisdom. I want to shout with David, “How I LOVE Your law!” But my heart is not there yet – I need Your help. Reshape my misguided desires, Lord. May Your Word truly be sweeter than honey to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.’ 

Yes friends, we all have those times, when we don’t feel so into God and His narrow path, but nonetheless we know that He is the right way to go, if we sincerely want to find the abundant life that Jesus died for us to have. And Jesus made it quite clear that’s what He was about, when he said. ‘The thief cometh not but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have life more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) What a magnificent statement my people! Jesus came that we might have a decent life down here as well as eternal life with Him in the other world! What can be better than that eh? Nothing! 

But to enjoy that abundant life, we have to sincerely seek the Lord and His righteousness, and do His holy will. It doesn’t just fall into our laps automatically, even when we believe. Jesus has already done His part; sacrificed His sinless life for ours, and risen from the dead, so that we could also rise in due time, we now have to do our part, follow His lead and be good examples of LOVE, light, salt and righteousness in this evil and ungodly world. And keeping God’s law ought to be our number one priority. For as the psalmist says in Psalm 119: ‘O how I LOVE thy law! it is my meditation all the day.’ 

And that’s exactly what the Lord commanded Joshua to do with the Israelites, as they were about to cross the Jordan river and enter the Promised Land. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh. 1:8) Ah mih people, that is the very genesis of success; meditating on God’s law and then following it, putting it into action in our own lives. That’s the ONLY way we will ever have success in this world and the one to come! 

And I just LOVE this next verse, where the Lord pounds it into Joshua’s head, and hopefully ours today too. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) Now those same words still apply to us today, my fellow saints, and until we sincerely believe them and act accordingly upon them, we’ll never have the success that the Lord intends for us to have. For remember who gives us the power to get wealth? The Lord God Jehovah! And the major way to do that is by concentrating on the Lord’s Word. 

Then, further down in that section of Psalm 119 that speaks of the LOVE of God’s law, the psalmist further proclaims: ‘How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every evil way.’ (Ps. 119:103-104) Oh, how I wish that we could all say those words with utter sincerity! For then we would be able to truthfully say the next verse: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) Now that’s exactly what the Lord desires His Word to be for us, a light and lamp to guide our feet and show us the right path to tread. 

And  Bruh David said it thus of the Lord’s word in Psalm 19: ‘The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear (reverence) of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb (the drippings of the honeycomb). Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.’ (Ps. 19:8-11) 

Now that last verse says it all friends. The Lord’s Word serves as a warning for us, and when we follow it, we are well rewarded, both down here on earth and in heaven above. And that’s the indisputable truth. So, having those words of godly wisdom written indelibly in our hearts, lets’ go home now, declaring (steupsss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful and most marvellous 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 there’s a rather important proviso to that proclamation: If we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s be wise and plan to meet at the very end with Christ nuh! Much LOVE!

…the Word of God…is our Guidebook for earthly living…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 March 2024 John 20:29b.

12 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 20:29b.       blessed are they that have not seen, and have yet believed.

Then it was Tuesday, another sunny, spring-like day in my neighborhood. And recently we’ve been having so many of them, that I’m puzzled. But then, this morning, I beheld a few buds on one of the tress in my front yard and that almost made me believe that we’re really having spring in early March. Almost…but not quite… (smile) Ah Lord eh! This climate change situation is playing such havoc with God’s fine tuning of His universe. But we only have our foolish selves to blame. I don’t know why we unwisely thought that we could abuse the planet and it’s finely tuned eco-system for ever and not pay a heavy price. 

And while we’re having spring in early March, this winter has also been the warmest one on record. A sad tale for the many businesses based on snow and cold weather. And since all the changes did not happen overnight, they will not be fixed overnight either. If we ever get around to seriously fixing them, what with so many of us believing that climate change is a fraudulent theory set up by conspiracy theorists. But if you have lived in these parts for at least twenty years, and have any common sense, you will notice that the weather patterns have indeed changed over the years. And if you’ve lived here for over fifty years, like I’ve done, then it’s a cinch for you to notice serious climate changes from the earlier times, unless you prefer not to see or admit them. 

But it all goes right back to the simple theory that our parents taught us; if you don’t hear, you will feel. And that’s exactly what we’re doing right now; feeling the pain of climate change and all that it entails, because we were too proud and haughty to think that our marvellous machinery would ever cause us climate problems. But how long can you go on spewing all the smoke filled with the many different toxins in the atmosphere, and spilling the many toxic chemicals in the waterways without it coming back to bite us at some stage eh? We’re simply getting our just deserts. 

And since so many in power don’t believe it’s really happening, or say they don’t, fixing the problems are not happening, or are not going to happen with the urgency it deserves.  But yuh know what, all of that is secondary if we sincerely believe in the grace and goodness of Almighty God! And I just opened the Good Library to an interesting scripture from the gospel of Mark. It’s at Jesus’s trial before the high priest, where that august hypocrite, asked Jesus: ‘Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ (Mark 14:61-62) 

Now, Christ’s reply incensed the high priest, made him tear off his clothes, and declared it the height of blasphemy, with the appropriate condemnation of death. However, for us believers, that answer was more than sufficient. It gives us confidence and keeps our faith strong in knowing that our Lord and Saviour is sitting at the God’s right hand and will eventually come back riding the clouds with His glorious army to take His people home at the Rapture of the church, then in the last days, after the Great Tribulation, His Millennial reign on earth! 

That’s why HOPE and FAITH are so important in our Christian walk, for without them, we don’t have anything to hold on to. And what are those two things eh? Well, according to the 20th century Danish American Psychologist, Erik Erikson, ‘HOPE’ is necessary to life as the air we breathe. Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained, hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth friends! If there’s no hope, then you might as well be dead. And it’s also important to note that without HOPE, you cannot have FAITH; because HOPE is a prerequisite of FAITH. It’s the former that enables you to have and continually sustain the latter. And what’s FAITH? The Bible tells us that ‘FAITH is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) In simple language, faith is hoping and believing for something that you don’t see at the present time, but expecting to get it at some later date. 

It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for (it)? But we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance, determination) (eagerly) wait for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) Yes friends, it’s all about HOPE and FAITH! And how do you get them? By sincerely believing in Christ Jesus, then studying God’s Word and living it in close fellowship with other believers. 

Oh my people, belief is extremely important, for in God’s kingdom you don’t see it until you believe it, while in the world’s economy you have to see it before you believe it. That’s why HOPE and FAITH are so vital to Christianity. None of us have ever seen Jesus in the flesh, but we believe that He walked here on earth some two thousand years ago, and was who He said He was, the Messiah, the Son of God, and did the things they say He did, and will do the things He promised to do. 

That’s why when His disciple Thomas refused to belief that Jesus was resurrected from the dead unless he personally saw Him and could touch His nail scarred hands and put his hands in His side, Jesus appeared to him and told him thus. ‘Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless (unbelieving), but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have yet believed.’ (John 20:27-29)  

And that’s us, my fellow saints, who haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh but yet, through hope and faith, believe that He is real and will continue to look after us to our dying day…and even beyond. Now, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having made that declaration (yesss!!!) it’s now our duty to go out and the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…only believe…with the help of hope and faith…only believe…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 March 2024 Psalm 73:26.

11 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 73:26.       My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart (my rock), and my portion forever.

Monday, oh Monday! You beautiful day! Come on down and let us LOVE you like we ought to! Yes friends, like I’ve often said, we ought to treat Monday as a special day, because that’s when we’re supposed to be full of the most joy, strength and confidence after having fellowship on Sunday, with other believers in the presence of our wonderful and ever-LOVING God! But unfortunately, many of us get caught up in the trappings and goings-ons of a new week, and don’t use that newfound energy and confidence wisely. 

But fear not my brethren, for though we do not make full use of our blessings, once we can say like the psalmist Asaph re The Prosperity of the Wicked from his famous psalm 73, we will be fine. Remember when Asaph was losing his faith because of the prosperity of the wicked, and only got wisdom and saw what was really happening and how the wicked, though they prospered here on earth, their end was to perish. He says: ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of the Lord; then understood I their end.’ (Ps. 73:17) 

Yuh see friends, that’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell us. We can gather oodles of wisdom when we regularly go to God’s house in sincere fellowship. (smile) But, thankfully, Asaph woke up in time, got that divine perspective in the Lord’s house, and woke up saying: ‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden (held) me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart (my rock), and my portion forever.’ (Ps. 73:22-26) 

And both the Sons of Korah and Bruh David make the same pronouncements in their palms.  The Sons of Korah announce in Psalm 84: ‘How amiable are thy tabernacles (how lovely are thy dwellings), O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.’ (Ps. 84:1-2) Meanwhile, in Psalm 16, Bruh David acknowledges: ‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintenest (uphold) my lot… I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope.’ (Ps. 16: 5; 8-9). 

Oh my people, once we have those deep-seated faithful feelings like those men of God  had, we don’t need to worry about anything, our God will protect us, will lead and guide us along the pathways He desires. That’s why Asaph could further declare: (chuh!!!) ‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee (all those who are unfaithful to thee). But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare (yesss!!!) all thy works.’ (Ps. 73:27-28) 

Ah my fellow saints, that’s what we spoke of yesterday in the Olivia Newton-John’s song; ‘Let Go and let God’: letting go, surrendering our all to Him and allowing Him to take full charge of our lives. That’s the only way to truly enjoy and appreciate the largesse of our great God! Remember what James tell us on the subject? ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted (lament), and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness (gloom). Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:7-10) 

It’s all about turning to God, drawing close to Him, and humbling ourselves before Him. As James say earlier on: ‘But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.’ (James 4:5) And Cousin Sol says it most clearly in Proverbs, one of the seven abominations that the Lord hates is a proud look (a haughty demeanour). (Prov. 6:16-17) So, it’s obvious that humility is an absolute must when we desire to come before the omnipotent God of this universe.  

And since we’re in dire need of divine help in these extraordinarily evil and ungodly times, it’s only wise to go to the Creator, to the throne of grace with confidence, but also total humility to seek that fulfilling help we so desperately desire. So through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s pray! 

‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but 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. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us 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!’ 

And if we are wise, we will consider these potent words from our prayer: ‘if we turn from our evil ways.’ Now that is indeed the beginning of wisdom! Much LOVE!

…total security is only found in…total surrender to God…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 March 2024   John 15:12 & 17) 

09 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 15:12 & 17.         This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you… These things I command you, that ye LOVE one another.

And like the weather forecasters got it right! This lazy-day Saturday has started out wet, windy and cloudy, let’s hope that it will improve as the day goes along. And even if it doesn’t, we still have Jesus! Glory be! We have Jesus to ease our problems, give us His peace and comfort us, guide us in the direction He desires us to go, and so many other wonderful things, that with Him, we want for NOTHING in this world! As Bruh Paul so confidently and truthfully writes; ‘We can do ALL things, through Christ who strengthens us.’ (Phil. 4:13) And just as importantly and truthfully: ‘My God will supply ALL your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

And with those two foundation scriptures bubbling in our souls, let’s turn our eyes and hearts heavenward and offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. As one sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

Wow! It never ceases to amaze me, how such a simple, heartfelt prayer can usher us into the presence of God, just have His amazing and calming presence engulfing us with His awesome LOVE and compassion! But that’s what prayer is all about my people; to bring us closer to God, and allow us to pour out our hearts to Him, and then listen for His answers to our concerns. Prayer is indeed the greatest privilege we have as believers, but so many of us refuse to believe in it and thus don’t use it, thinking it’s a complete waste of time. Some of us have indeed prayed but did not receive the answers we were looking for, and were thus soured on it. 

But let’s remember that prayer is a convenience granted to us by Almighty God to help us do His Will, not to foster our own advantages. Thus, if you don’t pray in God’s Will, then obviously your prayer won’t be answered. For God is not a doting grandfather who just sits there waiting to do our every selfish and evil bidding. That’s why James admonishes us: ‘From whence come wars (conflicts) and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts (desires for pleasure) that war in your members? 

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill (murder), and desire (covet) to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war (battle), yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not , because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures). Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will (wants to) be a friend of the world is (makes himself an) enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy (yearns jealously)?’ (James 4:1-5) 

No, the scripture does not lie. That takes us back to the very  beginning, where the word says: ‘And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination (intent) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.’ (Gen. 6:5) That’s why the Lord chose to destroy the world in a flood. Oh friends, the same situation exists in our world today; evil thoughts and intents abound from North to South and East to West. There is such widespread strife, hatred and anger like we’ve never seen before. 

And most of it stems from exactly what James writes about; our unsatisfied, selfish desires. As supposed believers, we ask the Lord for stuff to satisfy our lustful pleasures, instead of to do His holy will, and when we don’t get it, we end up striving and fighting with each other. And as the scholars explain: ‘As Israel was a spiritual adulteress, unfaithful to God, so the church is a spiritual adulteress when she is the unfaithful bride of Christ. (cf. Hos. 2:5, 19-20; Matt. 12:39). One cannot be both a LOVER of God and a LOVER of the world.’ 

And believe me, today’s church is certainly something else! The many unnecessary denominations, cliques, petty squabbles over doctrine and other even pettier stuff, plus the too many evils that go on in it, makes Christ church a laughing stock amongst the heathen, who gleefully apply the moniker ‘hypocrite’ to us all. And they’re not  wrong nuh, for too many of us talk one talk, then walk an entirely different walk. And if a bunch of people who claim to believe in the same Leader, cannot get along, and show the Leader’s major attribute to each other, how can others be expected to believe in that Leader and His cause eh? 

Ah mih people, Christianity will never conquer the world until Christians learn to live and work together and get rid of all the petty stuff that’s keeping them apart. So please, on this dreary-looking lazy-day Saturday, let’s spend some time pondering these ever so important words of Jesus re His followers. ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you… These things I command you, that ye LOVE one another.’ (John 15:12, 17) 

Yes my fellow saints, the most important thing that should be happening between us is the LOVE of Christ! But sadly, that’s exactly what’s not happening! No wonder the world is in such an evil and ungodly mess like way back before the Lord destroyed it. And yuh know what, this time the Lord won’t even have to destroy us, because if we continue along our current path, we will eventually destroy ourselves. Please ponder the foolishness and lack of wisdom in that nuh, when the Lord has given us such a glorious universe and earthly life to enjoy! Much LOVE!

…if Christians can’t show LOVE for each other…then how can we expect the heathens to show LOVE for us…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   6 March 2024 Psalm 1:1.

06 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 1:1.        Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Ah mih people, unfortunately, this middle day of our work week, Wednesday, has opened somewhat dark and damp. But please don’t allow the gloomy weather to stop us from catching our second wind, as we must, if we want to get through the rest of the week in good shape. Sadly too, the Bit will be somewhat late today, because I soon have to leave and go to church for our Wednesday morning small gathering, but then I also have a church meeting after that, so it will be awhile before I get back to finish my early work. But don’t worry, it’s all in the Lord’s service! (smile) And as always, He will reward us with some excellent  words of wisdom when we continue. Soon come! 

Well we’re finally back two and a half hours later… but with a good word, as it relates to ‘The Man (& Woman) God Honours.’ That’s a poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. Now, it specifically talks about men, but I’ve also included women, because all the things men do these days women do it too, and we wouldn’t want to be labelled sexist. (smile)  And to make it more concise and more easily read, I’ve also taken the liberty of changing the pronouns ‘He and His,’ to ‘They and Theirs.’ Furthermore, I don’t know if I’ve shared this one before, because it doesn’t sound familiar, but if I have, it’s certainly interesting enough to share again. (smile) 

So please read with me: ‘There are thousands of men and women in the world. Men and women come in assorted sizes – tall and short, wide and lean. There are bankers, salesmen, politicians, mechanics, lawyers, teachers. But the man or woman that God honours is marked by at least five characteristics: FIRST: They are totally committed to God, and their concern is that they will obey God’s Word, whatever the cost. SECOND: They are persons whose faith can be defined as confident trust. Their high priority is prayer, knowing that a supernatural God works in supernatural ways. 

THIRD: They rest their past, present, and future in the hands of an ALL-LOVING God, even in times of turbulence, uncertainty, agony, misunderstanding, and pain, assured that their times are in God’s hands. FOURTH: They believe with all their heart that, as they keep steadily traveling along God’s pathway, God will honour them with every blessing. FIFTH: They have one consistent desire: “God, make me a person after your own heart.” 

Yes friends, those are the five basic characteristics a believer ought to have. And we surely can’t find fault with any of them, since that’s the way the Lord has outlined His plan for mankind. Being totally committed and obedient, regardless of the cost; with strong faith and belief in the efficacy of prayer; placing their whole lives in God’s hands, surrendering their all to Him, in spite of the circumstances; assured that if they follow God’s plan, He will eventually honour them with blessings untold; and above all, to be called a man or a woman after God’s own heart. 

Now that is one of the most important honours God can bestow on us. And we don’t have to be perfect to get it, but our hearts have to be right with God, like Bruh David’s was, although he was by no means perfect, but very fallible like all of us. As it  says in Acts 13:22: ‘And when he had removed him (Saul), he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom he also gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill my will.’ And the original scripture can be found in 1 Sam. 13:14. 

‘A man after mine own heart’  relates to two things; first that Bruh David was God’s choice for king, and not the people’s, and secondly that at first Bruh David’s character morally was exceptional, and though He faltered with his murder of Uriah and adultery with Uriah’s wife Bathsheba, he never moved away from God, like so many others. His faith and trust always remains steadfast in the God of his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And I believe that’s what the Lord wants to see from His people, more than anything; despite our shortcomings, we never move away from Him, always keep Him first place in our hearts and lives, always trying to do His holy will. 

And some of us must be wandering what’s the Bible verse for today’s writing? Well here it is finally. It comes from our well known Psalm 1. And reads thus: ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.’ (Ps. 1:1-6) 

Ah friends, that first Psalm says it all in a very neat and concise form. If you follow the Lord’s dictates, learn His law and obey it, you will live a blessed life. If you don’t, then your life will be miserable and eventually you will perish. It’s simple math’s, not rocket science; obey and live eternal life, disobey and die eternal death. And it’s up to each of us to decide which option we’ll choose…and we have to choose one or the other, for trying to sit on the fence is counted as disobedience. (smile) 

And for those of us who are endeavouring to live right, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus! As one 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 there’s a further promise to look forward to: if we endure with Jesus right to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So please, let’s make plans to meet at the very end and together enjoy that more than glorious future nuh! That’s wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!

…we’ve been offered life or death…let’s be wise and choose life…

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