The Necessity for Believers to find Joy, Peace and LOVE in the Christmas Season despite Unforeseen Circumstances!

24 Dec 2025 Leave a comment

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

John 14:27.         Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

And then it was Wednesday… a bright and sunshiny Christmas Eve my fellow believers! And it’s also a good day to catch our second wind, because the rush is on to get everything ready. But even if everything is not ready, please don’t sweat it and get anxious and irritable. Remember Bruh Paul’s wise words to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) 

Yes friends, the one thing we definitely need this Christmas season is PEACE, with a li’l LOVE thrown in for good measure, for that’s what Christ came to bring to our strife-filled earth. So don’t lose the joy of the season because everything’s not as you’d like it to be, just make sure to appreciate the time of Christ’s birth in the next twenty four hours, and both Christ and your family and friends will understand that you tried your best but you simply could not get everything you wanted done in time. 

Remember, it’s the occasion of Christ’s birth we’re celebrating, and that doesn’t necessarily mean food or gifts; but simply joy and friendship, peace and LOVE on this marvellous occasion. And don’t forget to MAKE TIME to visit the Lord’s sanctuary at some stage in the next couple of days, to fellowship and give thanks for God’s greatest gift to mankind; our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

And all of God’s people said a loud, joyful and grateful: ‘Thank You Lord for giving us Your only Son Jesus Christ to be our Glorious Light and Magnificent Redeemer! We LOVE You and praise Your Holy Name for Your wonderful LOVING-KINDNESS to the undeserving children of men!’ 

And that reminds us of this marvellous and ever so appropriate song written many years ago by Bryan Wells and Ronald Miller, then made popular by Stevie Wonder in 1967. It’s aptly titled, ‘Someday at Christmas.’ So please sing with me: ‘Someday at Christmas men won’t be boys Playing with bombs like kids play with toys One warm December our hearts will see A world where men are free Someday at Christmas there’ll be no wars When we have learned what Christmas is for When we have found what life’s really worth There’ll be peace on earth 

Someday at Christmas we’ll see a land With no hungry children, no empty hand One happy morning people will share A world where people care Someday at Christmas there’ll be no tears When all men are equal and no man has fears One shining moment one prayer away From our world today Someday at Christmas man will not fail Hate will be gone and LOVE will prevail Someday a new world that we can start With hope in every heart, yeah Someday all our dreams will come to be Someday in a world where men are free Maybe not in time for you and me But someday at Christmastime…Maybe not in time for you and me, But someday at Christmastime…’ 

Yes friends that ought to be our fervent hope, prayer, wish, supplication, whatever; that at some Christmastime there’d be true peace and LOVE in our world, with all the hate and anger, and the many other numerous evil influences no longer supreme, or better yet existing, just like our Saviour meant it to be when He came to earth on Christmas Day. And though life seems to be getting rougher and more uncertain with each passing day, we must never forget these wonderful and most encouraging words of Jesus: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) 

And my fellow believers, that ought to be our motto for this Christmas season; not being troubled or afraid, because we have the unsurpassable peace of Jesus and the joy which comes with it, steadfast and strong within our hearts, souls, bodies and minds! Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

As one strong and sincere 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 please don’t forget the promise that those who endure with Jesus right down to the very end will enjoy a future even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. That therefore means we must be wise and strong in faith to endure to the end, so that we can enjoy that more than glorious future together! Much LOVE!

…the birth of Christ is a time of joy, peace and LOVE…so let’s not mar it this year with evil influences and behaviour…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 December 2023 Colossians 3:16.

24 Dec 2023 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 3:16.        Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Oh friends, it’s Sunday; the most joyful day of the week, when we gather in fellowship in the Lord’s house. And this Sunday is doubly special because it’s also Christmas Eve, the day before we celebrate the glorious birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Mama Mia! Can you imagine the festivities, the church services, the gifts, the decorations, and last but not least, the amount of food that’s going to be devoured over these next few days. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing that this year Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, for although it might cause some none church goers to darken the Lord’s sanctuary – those who only attend church at Christmas and Easter.

But then, all the busyness of the season will obviously keep some church goers away from church too. Anyway, we’ll leave that in the Lord’s hands, we’ve come to worship, give thanks and celebrate Christ’s imminent birth, as well as renew and refresh our spirts by hearing the Lord’s word. So, let’s do that nuh, beginning with this wonderful Christmas song, ‘O Holy Night.’ 

And, as so often happens, controversy surrounds many of these old songs. This one was originally written as a French poem by Placide Cappeau, a wine merchant and poet. Although he was never particularly religious, Cappeau was asked in 1843 to write a Christmas poem to celebrate the recent renovation of the church organ in his hometown. He obliged and wrote a poem called ‘Minuit, Chrétien’s’ (Midnight, Christians). Then, in 1847, Adolphe Adam, a French composer and music critic who wrote mostly operas and ballets, composed the music for the song and it was released under the name ‘Cantique de Noël’. Alongside the opera ‘’Giselle’ (1841), ‘O Holy Night’ is one of Adam’s best-known works. 

Finally, in 1855, English Minister John Sullivan Dwight translated the French original into the lyrics we sing today. Along the way, there also seemed to be some controversy with the Catholic church, which didn’t like some of the lyrics. However, no doubt with the Almighty’s help, the song has become a staunch Christmas favourite all around the world. 

And I like how this commentary puts it. ‘There’s truly nothing better than hearing an old-fashioned Christmas song right around the holidays. One of those classic hymns is ‘O Holy Night.’ It brings up such great memories and thoughts of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It was truly a glorious night when Jesus was born. The angels rejoiced and the whole world received their King. God granted us eternal salvation when He sent His Son to die for our sins. Now that I know the story behind this powerful hymn, I’m even more in awe of this song.’ 

And now that we know some of the song’s basic history and how it truly reflects the night Christ was born, let’s offer it up as sacrifices of praise to heaven, in a soulful, sincere mid-tempo version. Singing: ‘O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth; Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn; 

(Chorus: Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices! O night divine! O night when Christ was born. O night, O holy night, O night divine.) Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming; With glowing hearts by his cradle we stand: So, led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here come the wise men from Orient land, The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our friend; 

(Chorus) He knows our need, To our weakness no stranger! Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend! Behold your King! your King! before him bend! Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is LOVE and His gospel is Peace; Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother, And in his name all oppression shall cease, Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we; Let all within us praise his Holy name! (Chorus) Christ is the Lord, then ever! ever praise we! His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim! His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!’ 

Oh friends, that was wonderful, but what is the song all about eh? It seems like there is some Biblical inspiration woven into it. Let’s see if we can find a few. And right in the opening line: ‘O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth;’ we right away think of the shepherds watching their flocks on a starry winter’s night outside of Bethlehem, when an angel suddenly appears and tells them: 

‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord…. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’ (Luke 2:10-11, 13-14) 

Then, the chorus itself: ‘Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born…’ stirs up this scriptural gem. ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every other name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in earth, and (those) things under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:9-11) And so it is to this day my fellow believers! Jesus Christ is Lord of All! 

What about this line: ‘Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace.’ We could choose more than one scripture for that, but this one seems to best suit our purpose. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another: as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13: 34-35) That’s Jesus’ law of LOVE friend, and where there is true LOVE, you’ll surely find peace! 

And we have time for one more Biblical inspiration. Hear this: ‘Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, With all our hearts we praise His holy name.’ And I guess we could also find a couple of scriptures to back that up, but we’ll use this one. The words of Bruh Paul to the Colossians. ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.’ (Col. 3:16) 

Oh my people, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing; admonishing each other in spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord! That does say something for our obedience eh. (smile) But anyway, let’s have a blessed day as we prepare for, and celebrate Christ’s birth, but please, let’s remember to pray for those who won’t be enjoying a merry and joyful Christmas like us. Much LOVE!

… Jesus Christ, the Son of God…at His birth…a trough was His bed…a stable His house…and animals His playmates… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 December 2022 Matthew 19:26.

24 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 19:26.        With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Oh friends, it’s Saturday; lazy day Saturday, Christmas Eve Saturday! Glory be! Wow! The day is at hand and so many expectations are floating around. Let’s hope the most important and prevalent one is that we remember Jesus, the reason for the season, in all of our festivities. For you know when the celebrations get somewhat noisy and boisterous, we are very liable to throw out the baby with the bathwater. (smile) But for this season, please, let’s keep Jesus first place, uppermost in our minds, as it’s supposed to be. End of sermon! (smile) 

Now, let’s see what quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one says: ‘I just want you to know that if you are out there and you are being really hard on yourself right now for something that has happened. it’s normal. That is what is going to happen to you in life. No one gets through unscathed. We are all going to have a few scratches on us. Please be kind to yourselves and stand up for yourself, please.’ 

And that’s the awesome truth. We all will be hurt at some time or other, and make mistakes too, but that’s all a part of life. And sometimes we get down on ourselves for some of our mistakes and failures. But it’s not necessary to beat up ourselves about them. Oh, we must admit them and then go to God seeking grace, mercy and comfort. That’s the only sensible way to deal with our hurts. And sadly, many people, especially Christians tend to be too hard on themselves, erroneously thinking that browbeating oneself will make it right, or okay. 

But the only thing that will make anything right in this world is the LOVE and forgiveness of Almighty God! However, that doesn’t give us carte blanche, or a blank check, to do as we please, or let ourselves completely off the hook. That brings to mind Bruh Paul’s words to the Romans: ‘What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.’ (Rom. 6:15) No! We don’t take advantage of or abuse anybody or anything, including ourselves. 

And the next quote is also an interesting one. ‘Be courageous. Challenge orthodoxy. Stand up for what you believe in. When you are in your rocking chair talking to your grandchildren many years from now, be sure you have a good story to tell.’ There’s also a lot of truth in it. We all need to be courageous in this rough and tough evil world. Remember some of God’s first words to Joshua as the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses, were: ‘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 are words of immortal wisdom and command! It’s essential that believers stand up strong and steadfast for what they believe in, i.e. ‘Jesus Christ! But it’s sad to say that too many of us supposed believers are not standing up for what we claim to believe in. We’re living in fear and doubt, or simply lethargy under the world’s dominating system. But that’s not good enough my people. Jesus expects us to stand up for Him and the beliefs we claim to have. And there is no better time to do so than this Christmas season when we celebrate His momentous birth! If we do that zealously, I can assure you that we’ll certainly have plenty of good stories to tell our grandchildren as we sit in our rockers. (smile) 

Then the next quote tells us: ‘At the end of the day, whether or not those people are comfortable with how you’re living your life doesn’t matter. What matters is whether you’re comfortable with it.’ And, to a certain extent, that’s quite true. You can’t overly concern yourself with what others think or say about you and your lifestyle, especially if you’re a believer in Christ Jesus. They will criticize you at every turn. 

But once you know you are doing the right thing, living the way Jesus expects to the best of your ability, then you don’t need to bother with ‘those people.’ Because ‘those people’ are usually just a bunch of hypocrites themselves; say one thing and do something completely different. Like the Pharisees in Jesus’ time, who exhorted the Jews to live one way, but they themselves never lived the same lifestyle. 

Now here is possibly the most important quote of the day: ‘You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! In fact, Christ expects us to be always learning and producing good fruit until the day we die! If we’re not being productive and mentally active then we die, both spiritually and physically. Just look at the number of people who work for so many years, then retire and do nothing. They eventually become vegetables and die much sooner than if they had kept active in some form and fashion. As the saying goes: ‘If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!’ 

And to back that up, listen to what Psalm 92 tells us. ‘The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree (date palm): he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (big and strong). Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat (plump) and flourishing (green). To show that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.’ (Ps. 92:12-15) Yes my brethren, the way to live to your fullest is to be always learning and doing something productive, regardless of your age or physical ability. We need to keep God’s greatest invention, the human brain, ever active while we’re alive. 

That brings us to this last quote, which, as true believers in Christ, we all know as certain fact and truth. ‘Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible!’ Yes, it does say so. But the reason why it’s really so, is because Almighty God is the sovereign ruler of this world. He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, meaning that He’s all-powerful, can do anything; He sees everything, and is everywhere at once. 

And His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who’s birth we’re currently celebrating in this Christmas season, said it ever so plainly and truthfully when here on earth talking to His disciples about it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. He said: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) 

Now that’s one thing we should never forget my fellow saints: ALL things are possible with our great God! And it’s exactly one of those supposedly impossible situations that we’re celebrating right now: the incarnate birth of Christ, the birth of a baby, Jesus, from His virgin mother, Mary’s womb! How exciting, thrilling, stimulating, encouraging and reassuring my people, to know that God worked one of His many miracles, so that we could celebrate the Birth of his wonderful Son, Jesus Christ, tomorrow on Christmas Day! Much LOVE!

…it’s all about Jesus…yes…let’s sing it…it’s all about Jesus…nobody else but…JESUS… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 December 2021 Matthew 2:2.

24 Dec 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 2:2.      Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

So it’s Christmas Eve mih people! Just one more day to the Big One. Imagine nuh, tomorrow this time the celebrations, the Christmas festivities will be in full swing. But please, please, let’s remember the ultimate reason for the season, in fact the one and only reason for the season; that’s the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 

And don’t only concentrate on the food and gifts, but spend a few moments considering and contemplating the wonderful present that our heavenly Father gifted us with some two thousand years ago, and how things would have been in an even more disastrous mess, if He hadn’t given us the greatest gift ever, His One Son, Christ Jesus to save us from the bondage of sin! 

But it’s sad that the greatest gift ever given to man has been turned into one of the greatest economic and money-making events in today’s world, with the real reason for Christmas totally forgotten, with people even refusing to say Merry Christmas, but talking nonsense about ‘Happy Holidays!’ Where did the blooming happy holidays come from eh? From the birth of Christ! That’s where! So please let’s give Him the accolades He deserves nuh, and stop trying to remove Him from our society. And then we wonder why our world is in such a calamitous state! 

The answer begins right there; trying to kick God out, being disobedient and ungodly! Remember what He did to Satan when the foolish archangel, a mere creation, tried to overthrow Him in heaven? He kicked him out of the plush job and comfortable surroundings he had, to wander the earth in shame and disgrace and shack up in the fires of hell! Now we, another creation, are listening to that fool and his evil minions and are trying to rid our society of its Maker and Controller. Why do you think we will suffer a fate any different to Satan’s eh? 

And that’s exactly why He sent Jesus to earth, to give us another option beside that offered by his evil highness. But we’re so full of ourselves, figure we’re such hot shots with our high-class civilization, that we no longer need God. What a joke! Can’t we see my brethren, or has Satan blinded our eyes so much to the fact that all we have, all we are and all we have achieved and accomplished have come through the graceful and merciful auspices of Jehovah God Himself? I guess not, otherwise we would not be in such a hurry to move Him out and forget Him. 

Remember the birth of Jesus was so important that three wise men (magi) from far off lands made the long journey to see the li’l baby boy born in the stable, wrapped in swaddling bands, lying in a manger (feed trough). And note what they said: ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’ (Matt. 2:2) 

Yes friends, other people also knew about the coming of the Messiah, possibly descendants of the Jews, from their sojourn in distant lands through captivity and migration, and it was so important to them that they travelled a far distance to behold the miraculous moment in time. And to top it all off, they brought gifts, expensive and most appropriate for a king; gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

Now, obviously since they were expecting a king to be born, the magi went to Jerusalem, the royal capital of Israel, to Herod the current king to find out His whereabouts. Herod knew nothing about any king being born, but found out through the Jewish leaders where the Messiah was supposed to be born; Bethlehem of Judea. And I like how the Good Book puts it. ‘And he (Herod) sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.’ (Matt. 2:8-12). 

Yuh see mih bredrin, that was our God moving in those mysterious ways of His, His wonders to perform. First having a star guide them to the birth place of Jesus, then a divine revelation not to go back to Herod. And as the scholars explain ‘His star’ (vs 2) could not have been merely a natural phenomenon, since it led the wise men to Jerusalem and later to Bethlehem. It almost certainly was a divine manifestation used by God to indicate the fact and place of the Messiah’s birth.’ 

That’s the gospel truth my people, it was nothing less than our omnipotent God’s divine handiwork! The same way it was shortly after when Joseph, Jesus’ father had a vision to take his family to Egypt because Herod would soon be on the warpath, killing Jewish children under two years of age, in a jealous fit of rage that some uppity Jewish child would want to take his throne away from him and his family. Just like us, Herod didn’t realize that he was just a man, created by a higher being than himself, who could pull victory from seeming defeat. 

Oh my fellow saints, this Christmas Eve day, let’s wake up and see the writing on the wall nuh. The Lord is on His throne in the high heavens, controlling things, and unless we come to our senses and refute Satan and all that he stands for, we will end up just like him; in the fires of Hades, with no chance whatsoever of making it to heaven. So, in wisdom and understanding, let’s go to God in prayer, through our Friday Chant, pleading for His divine help. 

As one strong, confident, sincere but humble voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, it’s the same as it has always been; if we keep our promises and be obedient to God’s will, then He will answer our prayers in a positive manner. Much LOVE!

…to truly celebrate Christ’s birth…means we must be truly living for Him…                                               

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8     

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 December 2020 Matthew 1:21.

24 Dec 2020 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 1:21.     ​And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS (Saviour): for he shall save his people from their sins.

By Jove mih bredrin, it’s Thursday; Christmas Eve! The day before Christ’s birth! Wow! Can you imagine the celebrations and otherwise that’s going on around the world right now in anticipation and preparation for that glorious morn, even though it might be somewhat muted this year because of all our unforeseen problems, especially the corona virus pandemic? 

But however yuh take it friends, Christmas is still Christmas, and unless we in real straightened circumstances, we believers in Christ will make every effort to celebrate His awesome and incarnate birth! No pandemic, or political strife, or whatever, is going to stop us from worshipping and giving much thanks to our wonderful God for initiating salvation and eternal life through His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ with His birth! 

Please let the world know it and take serious note! Christians are rising up in the name of Christ! We taking back the world for God the Father through Jesus, the Son! Mama Mia! And when Christians rise up in and through Christ, NOTHING can stop them; certainly not the defanged and ‘detoothed’ evil lion called Satan, since He has no authority or power over us, except what we allow him to have. 

That’s because he was totally defeated at Calvary’s cross by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who summarily took away the keys of hell, death and the grave from his evil highness, and now he’s just like a li’l loopy dog, going home whining with his tail between his legs after he got crushed in the biggest fight of his evil life! Glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit! 

Yeh friends, the ole fella waxing philosophical this Christmas Eve morning. (smile) And why not eh, when we celebrating the faithful keeping of a promise made centuries before the actual event occurred? The prophet Isaiah told it to us quite clearly: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’ (Is. 9:6-7) 

And yuh better believe the beginning of this promise was fulfilled on Christmas day some two thousand years ago, when the Christ child, the incarnate one was born of the virgin Mary. As the angel reassured her husband Joseph: ‘Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived (begotten) in her is of the Holy Ghost. 

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS (Saviour): for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet (Isaiah), saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted (translated) is, God with us.’ (Matt. 1:20-23) 

Oh mih people, what a great and faithful God we worship! That prophecy was made by Isaiah, way back when (Is. 7:14), and though it took a long time to come true, it did eventually. That’s the important thing: our God keeps all His promises, He just doesn’t tell us when He will fulfill them. That means we have to learn to wait in trusting faith, with eager expectation, and there is where we too often break down and fall apart. But as Jesus keeps on saying, ‘only believe, fear not, have faith.’ That’s all we need to do. And yes, it’s not easy, but with Him in our lives, it is certainly doable. 

And I want to elaborate a bit on some of those scriptures with the knowledgeable words of the scholars. ‘1:21-22.Call his name JESUS: The name of the child Jesus (Heb. Yehoshua) means “Jehovah Saves.” This points to the very purpose of Christ’s coming into the world – to save sinners. Placed early in the New Testament, this statement becomes the foundational concept of the gospel. Jesus, by His very name and nature, is the Saviour.’ And as Jesus Himself plainly said: ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) 

And that’s it right there in a nutshell friends. Our God LOVED us so much that He wanted to save us from eternal damnation. And the only righteous and just way He could do that, since sins needed to be paid for, was to have His only Son come to earth in human form and pay for them on our behalf. Please note too that ONLY an unblemished, a sinless body could pay for sins, and Jesus was the only person like that. 

So just contemplate for a moment the heartache that the Father felt knowing that to save a bunch of ungrateful sinners, He had no alternative but to place our punishment on His wonderful Son. Now please let that sink into our souls and minds and remind us of how we hurt when our children suffer. Maybe then we’ll realize what a big gift the Lord made to us on that first Christmas Day. 

And as per the scholars, re “Immanuel, which being interpreted (translated) is, God with us: This is a title describing the deity of the person of the Son of God rather than a name actually used by Him. It implies God will come to dwell among His own people, which He did in the person of Christ.’ So friends, the coming of Jesus, His earthly birth, is not be taken lightly, because it marks the beginning of the era of our salvation, something for which we should be eternally grateful. 

And for those of us who are truly grateful for what our Holy Trinity has done, is doing, and will continue to do for us, let’s go home now declaring (awright!) our Thursday Blessings, which have been so magnanimously granted to us to do their earthly work. Altogether now in strong sincere voice, with a thankful Christmas Spirit. (smile) 

‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! 

I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

And since it’s Christmas, a time of celebration, and a time of severe shortage of most things, especially LOVE, it’s even more important than ever that we share those blessings just as generously with others. Much LOVE!

…please remember…that CHRIST…is the ONLY reason…for the season…   

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 December 2019 John 3:16.

24 Dec 2019 Leave a comment

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

John 3:16.    ​For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 

And then it was Tuesday…Christmas Eve! Wow! One more day to the Big One! And the preparations are certainly in full swing now; the food is plentiful – too plentiful, the decorations are plentiful – too plentiful, with Christmas trees and stockings and all the other whatnots that show up at Christmas time. Yes, the house seems more congested than ever…too much stuff – not enough room for the people who are supposed to be celebrating. 

And NO, I’m not a grinch or some such negative Christmas person, but I think we tend to overdo the physical and worldly aspects of the season and don’t pay enough attention to the spiritual side. But that’s just my humble opinion… so who’s paying any attention to it eh? (smile) And to help us get a li’l more into the spiritual aspect of the season, let’s get into something interesting from Gramps Schuller’s (Dr. Robert H Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional. It’s aptly titled ‘A Christmas Prayer.’ 

Please pray with me: ‘You lead me, Jesus Christ, to thoughts of God. I see you in a manger (food trough) 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 my fellow believers, what beautiful Christian sentiments, so appropriate for not only this festive Christmas season, but for all the year, for all our lives! 

And yuh know friends, the whole thing is so simple, but through our foolish pride and stupid disobedience we make it seem so complicated. Yes mih people, it’s all simply about LOVE; about the LOVE of God! And consequently our LOVE for Him and for our fellow man. And if you don’t believe me, let’s look at some relevant scripture that proves my point. First off is this momentous declaration (steups!) by none other than Jesus Himself, re the purpose and reason for His coming to earth as a man. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ 

Oh my people, we all know that monumental scripture, and mouth it often, but do we ever take a moment to truly think about it, and how it ought to affect our lives? I don’t think so. Or if we do, not nearly enough, because it’s only the LOVE of God that caused Jesus to come to earth at Christmas, so He could eventually save our sinful souls by dying on Calvary’s sacrificial cross; nothing else but LOVE my brethren!  And how should this wonderful and marvellous emotion be played out in our own lives? 

Listen to Jesus again, as the foppish, hypocrite Pharisee lawyer asked Him: ‘Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:36-40) Yuh see mih breddren, EVERYTHING, from day One, right to the end of time, has to do with LOVE!  

And the apostle John puts it all so beautifully in his first epistle. ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God. He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE. In this was manifested the LOVE of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that he LOVED us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought also to LOVE one another.’ (1 John 4:7-11) 

That’s it in a nutshell people! God first LOVED us, that’s why we’re celebrating the birth of Christ in this Christmas season. And furthermore, He requires His followers to both LOVE Him and our fellow human beings. That’s not a desire or a wish; it’s His command! So please, in this time of over-the-top celebrations, when there’s still so much, sickness, poverty, homelessness, hatred, strife and war in our rather prosperous world, please, I implore us, as true believers in Christ, let’s sincerely show the LOVE of God to those around us nuh, especially the less fortunate, for that’s when we’re most Christ-like. 

Now let’s go home this Christmas Eve day declaring (yeah!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. Altogether now in strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ Now let’s go out and walk that talk, like we ought to. Much LOVE!

…and now abideth…faith, hope, LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE… (1 Cor. 13:13)

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 December 2018 Philippians 4:6.

24 Dec 2018 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:6.   ​Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
 
And then it was Monday…Christmas Eve friends, Christmas Eve! The day before we celebrate the birth of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! What a momentous footnote…no, it was too big a day to be a mere footnote, but one of the most outstanding days in the annals of man! 

Praise the Lord for His goodness and LOVING-kindness to the undeserving children of men! Yes, bless His Holy Name, for without that compassion and care we’d be still lost in the darkness and evil of a fallen world. But thanks be to Jesus we have another beautiful option; believing in Him and thus obtaining salvation and eternal life! 

Wow! The ole fella’s on a roll this morning! That’s why I can say that God is faithful and LOVE Him so much, because when I came down here just now I had no idea what I was going to write, but as you can see, I’m doing fairly well! (smile) But it’s Christmas Eve and many of us still have stuff to buy and preparations to make for the big day, the real McCoy tomorrow. And unfortunately some of us have to go to work too after preparing and also enjoying some of the goodness of the season over the weekend. 

So as always, some of us are under the weather, so let’s do as we always do on a Monday, join together to sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn which always lifts our spirits and encourages to keep on walking steadfastly with the Lord. All together now, with as much enthusiasm as we can garner! 

‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

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

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. 

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Oh my, oh my! I don’t know about you nuh friends, but my spirits were certainly lifted! Brother, there’s nothing in this world great like prayer nuh! That’s why we’re advised to use it constantly by Bruh Paul. ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’ 

What exceptional words of wisdom those are my believing brethren! It’s the basic reason why God made prayer and set such a high value on it; so that we can communicate thoroughly and properly with Him! ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:7) 

Oh mih people, yuh see the great benefit that accrues from having serious and sincere communication with our heavenly Father? Peace! Wonderful peace! A heavenly peace! Peace that surpasses what our finite minds can comprehend! And please remember, it’s ALL for OUR benefit, not the Lord’s. As Bruh David says in Psalm 68: ‘Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.’ (Ps.68:19) 

And he again reminds us in Psalm 103: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps.103:2-5)

Mama Yo! What a great God we serve and worship my brethren! No other supposed deity does those things for His people! Only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, can even DO those things, because HE IS THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD! As we said in our prayer above, ‘the Creator of the universe and all therein!’ Give Him much thanks and praise my people! 

So please remember that when He desires us to come to Him humbly, with contrite hearts, in sincere prayer, with appreciation for His wonderful goodness to us, He’s not asking for too much, but simply His just desserts. And then again, it’s because He wants to bless us, to be involved in our earthly affairs, for who knows better than Him, how to run lives eh? NOBODY! 

So let’s cool it nuh, get wise, and don’t take so much umbrage when our Creator wants to be a big part, or rather the FIRST PART of our lives! That’s His prerogative…and we should be glad and thankful that He even wants to have anything to do with us, the sinful ingrates that we truly are! It just shows His true LOVE and compassion for His most precious creation! 

Oh mih people, let’s hope this Bit excites you all the way it excited me while writing it! (smile) It’s not only for you, but also for me! And this one touches me. (smile) Please have a blessed Christmas Eve…and remember the reason for the season…Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!

…God’s given me a new heart for Christmas…la la la la…God’s given me a new lease on life for Christmas…what else can I desire eh…Glory Hallelujah…Bless His holy Name…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 December 2018 Isaiah 9:2.

23 Dec 2018 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 9:2.   ​The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
 
And then it was Sunday…Christmas Sunday…Yay! Just imagine friends, only two more days and it’s here; one of the biggest and best days ever in the history of mankind; the day when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was born! Glory Hallelujah! Give the Father much thanks and praise for sending His only Son as a human to dwell amongst us and show us His holy ways! 

And as always, when we gather in His sanctuary on a Sunday we open with praise and worship, exalting His name and softening our hearts so that we can receive His holy Word. And today we’re singing that magnificent and well-known, traditional Christmas hymn, ‘Silent Night’ (“Stille Nacht” in its original German). 

‘The song was originally a poem written by pastor Joseph Franz Mohr and composed by his friend Franz Xaver Gruber in early 19th century Austria. Pastor Mohr desperately needed a carol for the Christmas Eve midnight mass that was only hours away, and he hoped Gruber – a school teacher as well as the church’s choir master and organist – could set his poem to music; he composed the melody in just a few hours on that Christmas Eve. 

The melody used today (a slow, meditative lullaby or pastorale) is slightly different from Gruber’s original (a moderato tune in 6/8 time and siciliana rhythm), particularly in the final strain. The English translation we most frequently sing today was written and published by Episcopal priest John Freeman Young in 1859, who translated three verses of Mohr’s original six.’ 

So now that we know something about the song’s origins, let’s sing it with heartfelt praise and gratitude nuh. As one earthly choir now! ‘Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight; Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born! 

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, LOVE’S pure light; Radiant beams from thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.’ 

Yes my faithful brethren, our Saviour’s birth changed the world like nothing before it ever has! As the prophet Isaiah declared long before it happened: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ 

Yes my people, Christ’s birth brought the light of heaven to earth where many were living in darkness and evil. And unfortunately, two thousand years later, too many of us are still living in darkness and evil! 

And Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, when he had regained his voice, after being struck dumb for not believing the angel Gabriel’s promise of a son in his old age, (Luke 1:11-20) also spoke of God’s redemption of His people, on the day that John was presented to the Lord. 

‘And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation (a Mighty Deliverer) for us in the house of his servant David; As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 

That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant.; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.’ (Luke 1:67-75) 

Yeh friends, please note those provisos: ‘serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our lives.’ God’s promises weren’t any fly by night stuff; they had a definite purpose behind them!

And if you don’t believe, then the scholars point us to ‘1:73: See Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-6; 22:15-18).’ Yes friends, that’s a list of the promises God made to Abraham, every one of which He kept! Please check them out for yourselves. I just did! 

But Zechariah was not done with prophesying. Having spoken of Jesus, he turned to his son, John: ‘And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring (Messiah) from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1:76-79) 

That’s why John is known as the forerunner of Christ; he was sent to prepare the way for Christ’s coming. And the scholars give an interesting explanation of ‘1:78: Dayspring means “dawn” and figuratively refers to the coming of the Messiah. The clause should be translated, “Dawn from heaven will visit us.” That is the Messiah from heaven will come to help us. God’s messianic deliverance is often expressed as the bursting forth of a great light.’ 

Ah mih people, this Christmas season, as we celebrate Christ’s birth, please, please let’s allow that great light to burst forth in our lives nuh, so that we can be delivered out of all the darkness that currently covers us! Much LOVE!

…for with thee is the fountain of life…in thy light…shall we see light… (Ps.36:9)  

P.S. Yeh, it’s somewhat late, but I had to go to church first…And anyway, it’s still enlightening! (smile) Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 December 2017 Luke 1:37.

24 Dec 2017 Leave a comment

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

Luke 1:37.     For with God nothing shall be impossible.

And then it was Christmas Eve! Yeh friends, Christmas Eve, the day before Christ’s birth, aren’t you excited? (smile) We should be my people, because it’s around this time two thousand years ago we received the greatest gift ever. The Son of God was born so that He could save sinful man, whom His heavenly Father LOVED with such a great LOVE that He was willing to sacrifice His only Son, so that His human creation could be saved from hell fire and damnation. 

Glory to our Most High God my brethren, for there is no other Deity who would have ever dreamed of doing something like that! So my fellow believers, on this Christmas Eve Sunday, as we gather in God’s sanctuary to praise and worship Him, to give Him thanks and exalt His holy name and receive His mercy, grace, forgiveness, strength and confidence to face the upcoming week, let’s show our sincere gratitude and overwhelming LOVE by singing our hearts out with unspeakable joy and supreme gladness. 

And the song we’re going to offer up in our sacrifice of praise is the old but ever true and much liked standard, ‘O Holy Night.’ Apparently it was originally written in French, but was later translated to English, and has the distinction of being the first Christmas Carol to ever be played on the radio in 1906. So with sincere feeling now, as we raise our voices to high heaven. 

‘O holy night, the stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine! Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here came the wise men from Orient land. 

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our Friend! He knows our need; to our weakness is no stranger. Behold your King; before Him lowly bend! Behold your King; before Him lowly bend! Truly He taught us to LOVE one another; His law is LOVE and His Gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother And in His Name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy Name! His power and glory evermore proclaim! His power and glory evermore proclaim!’ 

Oh friends, what beautiful sentiments, filled with eternal truths, while offering loads of assurance for the believer. I sincerely hope that tears of joy were flowing down all our faces as we sang those exquisite words. For how could it be otherwise eh, when we’re celebrating such a joyful occasion? And friends, the whole story of Christ’s birth is so incredible, that only a superior being could have worked it out so efficiently and competently and dramatically. 

That takes us to our Bit:  ‘For with God nothing shall be impossible.’ Those were the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary, Christ’s mother, after he informed her that she would bare God’s Son through the auspices of the Holy Spirit, and that her hitherto barren cousin Elisabeth, in her old age, was also pregnant.  And what I LOVE about Mary is that despite her young age, throughout Gabriel’s information session she never got riled or overly excited. Of course she was somewhat concerned and confused as Gabriel appeared out of the blue and began to lay such weighty matters on her. Her only real question was how was she going to get pregnant without knowing a man? 

And once Gabriel explained, she was fine. ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest (Most High) shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing (One) which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.’ (Luke 1:35) I must say that Mary was pretty mature for her age and background. If an angel suddenly appeared now and told that a teenager, she’d either run away screaming in fright, or hurl vicious and angry words at the messenger. But Mary’s response at the end of the conversation was simply: ‘Behold the handmaid (maidservant) of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.’ (Luke 1:38) 

Ah friends, I’m not sure that Mary would have been so relaxed if she had known the immense heartache she would have to face by being the mother of the Son of God. But nonetheless she held up under all the stress and strain of her position fairly well. Obviously the Lord gave her the wherewithal to stand strong and face the adversity, as He does with us all, when He gives us a job to do. 

So fellow believers, on this Christmas Eve Sunday of 2017, with our world in a complete mess, let’s try and spend some serious time contemplating the mystery and the miracle of Christ’s birth, and how it affects our lives today nuh.  And consequently, what we need to do to improve our lives and the lives of those around us, because if we are to be true followers of Jesus, and for His birth, death and resurrection to truly mean something, then we should always be in the process of becoming more Christ-like and setting a good Christian example to others. That’s Christ’s desire and our bounden duty. Much LOVE!

…ALL things are possible with God…you just have to study Christ’s life to see it…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 December 2016 Luke 1:76.

24 Dec 2016 Leave a comment

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

Luke 1:76.   And thou child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. 

Oh friends, it’s Christmas Eve, the day before the big one – Christmas Day, when we joyfully celebrate the birth of our most wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Glory to God in the highest for selflessly blessing us with Jesus Christ! 

But yuh know what, is not everybody that celebrating this Christmas time nuh. I heard today that another of my U.W.I (University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica) classmates, Dwight Venner died yesterday. Ah Lord eh! He is at least the sixth one that I know about, who has died this year. Steups! 

And all of them were around my age yes. That certainly brings your own mortality to mind. But you can’t do anything about it nuh, just keep on doing what the Lord has called you to do and hope for the best. The only thing we’re really sure of in this life is that someday the Grim Reaper will come a calling and we’ll go whether we want to or not. 

So I’m asking us on this Christmas Eve day to pray for the Venner family in their time of grief. I believe he was from St. Lucia, and just ask the Lord to comfort them in their mourning when they should be celebrating the birth of Christ. It’s not easy to lose anybody at all, much less at a time like this. 

Let’s also remember to pray for Keith, our Scrip-Bit family member, who is slowly recovering from his stroke, and comfort him too while he mourns the loss of his departed brother. 

Remember, as James says: ‘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.’(James 5:16) Yeh friends, prayer is the greatest power we have down here on God’s great earth, so please let’s use it often and wisely nuh. 

Now I have so much scripture to share that I only have space for one of our friend Anselm’s quotes today. And I had a hard time choosing one, because they were all interesting, they all can inspire us for a better tomorrow.  And this is the one that finally won out: ‘Goodness is about character – integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.’ 

And that’s no lie my brethren, all those qualities are very important parts and qualities of our Christian life! Now since John the Baptist was Christ’s cousin as well as His forerunner and harbinger, I thought this Christmas Eve would be a good time to check out John’s early story, as we will do tomorrow for Christ. 

This brings us to our Bit: ‘And thou child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways.’ Those were the prophetic words of John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, at his circumcision. Now our God is such a dramatist that sometimes I have to shake my head in wonder at His doings. 

Remember how he made Zechariah dumb because he didn’t believe that his barren wife Elisabeth would eventually bear him a child. (Luke 1:5-25) And also how He brought Mary and Elisabeth together and caused John to jump for joy in his mother’s womb when he heard Mary’s voice, and the three months the women spent bonding together. 

Let the Good Book tell us the story: ‘Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins (relatives) heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her. (Her barrenness was no longer a cause for reproach). 

And it came to pass, that on the eight day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zechariah, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. 

And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings (things) were noised abroad (discussed) throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all they that heard them laid (kept) them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.’ (Luke 1:57-66) 

Oh my people, there’s no better dramatist than our God! And to add to that drama, the scholars tell us: ‘1:65. Fear came: The working of God produced a unique sensation among a people where not even a prophet had spoken for centuries.’  

And after that, Zechariah just went mad prophesying, making up for all those months that he’d been dumb. Filled with the Holy Ghost, he prophetically declared. ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation (A Mighty Deliverer) for us in the house of his servant David. As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all them that hate us;’ (Luke 1:68-71) 

I have to leave out four verses here because of lack of space. But then Zechariah continued with our Bit. ‘And thou child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (dawn, Messiah) from on high hath visited us. 

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed (became) strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing (manifestation) unto Israel.’ (Luke 1:76-80) 

Ah friends, yuh see the amazing power and dramatic expertise of our wonderful God! And that was child’s play to how He brought Jesus on the scene. (smile) We’ll talk about that tomorrow, the Lord willing. Till then, may he bless and keep us all safe and sound and cause us to enjoy the celebrations of the birth of His only Son, Jesus! Much LOVE!

…who is greater than our God eh…NOBODY…!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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