Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 March 2024 Deuteronomy 29:29.

19 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 29:29.         The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Climate change, oh climate change! What are we going to do about you eh? And that’s certainly a winning question this chilly, Tuesday morning in mid-March, with a sprinkling of  heaven’s white precipitate (snow) on the rooves and on the lawns. (smile) We behave as though spring’s here, having had spring-like conditions for a few days, but then, uncharacteristically, we revert to the chilly, snowy times. Back and forth we go, round and round, like a tumbling tumbleweed blowing around aimlessly, which ever way the strong desert winds blow it. 

And if we’re suffering now from inconsistent weather conditions, it’s all out fault, for having upset God’s perfect timing of His wonderful universe with our deadly, man-made pollutants. The problem is that we don’t know when to leave well alone, but always figure we know best, better than the Lord God Jehovah, who made the universe and all therein, which includes us. That’s why we always get ourselves into a dreadful mess, and then we philosophically wonder why. (smile) But it all stems from foolish pride and disobedience. 

Because God made us the supposedly most intelligent being on the planet, and gave us free will, we seem to think that we know all there is to know and can handle anything that comes against us. And the sad part is that although down through the ages we have much proof that says otherwise, we still cling to the false, prideful belief that we are wise and invincible. How many foolish wars, plagues, economic recessions, and all the other negative things that stem from our sinful and proud selves, will it take for us to wake up and smell the coffee eh? What will it take for us to become seriously aware that we’re not all we think we are, but simply a creation of a greater being than us, namely Jehovah God, and that without Him, we’re nothing at all? 

And for whatever reason, it seems like we are also unable to learn from the mistakes of others. And what better people to learn from than the Israelites, God’s supposed people, who after four hundred years of bondage in Egypt were set free by the Lord their God. In so doing, they saw numerous miracles, both big and small, like the parting of the Red Sea so they could walk over on dry land, the pillars of cloud and fire which led them by day and night, the heavenly manna which they received for food, that rained down every day except on the sabbath. 

But in all that, they were still hardhearted and disobedient, and the Lord punished them several times during the forty years they spent wandering in the desert. But they never learned. Thus, except Joshua and Caleb, none of those who came out of Egypt, not even Moses, ever set foot in the Promised Land, only those born in the wilderness ever entered therein. And even when they entered the Promised Land, conquered it and became prosperous, they forgot the Lord their God and believed that it was their own prowess that brought them such prosperity. 

They conveniently forgot the warning words of Moses. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.’ (Deut. 8:18-20) 

And so said, so was it done! For the Lord does not make empty promises. The Israelites rebelled against God several times and each time paid a hefty price for their disobedience, which is exactly what’s happening to us today, many ages later. We are paying a mighty price of strife, inhumanity, sickness and economic deprivation for our greed, disobedience, and pride. Sadly, even with Christ’s coming and showing us the true and better way, nothing much seems to have changed. The devil and his evil worldly schemes are still deeply engrained in too many of our hearts and souls, and we need to uproot those devilish desires, if we intend to see God’s smiling face. 

Recently I read this interesting scripture at the end of Deuteronomy 29, where Moses is warning the Israelites of the many dangers that lie in turning away from God. He says: ‘The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of the law.’ (Deut. 29:29). Yes friends, the prophets came and revealed a whole lot to us, then Jesus came and revealed everything to us, meaning that the ball is now in our court. We can’t claim that we didn’t know anything since it’s been all revealed to us. And if we don’t keep the Lord’s law, then we will pay the price for disobedience. 

And like the Israelites who suffered famine and drought, captivity and destruction of their land for their disobedience, we’re now enduring the same things on a world wide basis for our foolish pride and disobedience to God’s holy will and law. And still, we insist on ignoring our Triune God despite the widespread strife, natural disasters like hurricanes tornadoes, volcanoes, earthquakes, famine and drought, that have recently engulfed our world like at no time before. 

Many of us chalk that up to being the signs of the beginning of the last days, and they might just be right, but the fact of the matter still remains that unless we lessen the greed, jealousy, strife, hatred and anger of our world, and return to a time of greater peace and LOVE as our God desires, we will continue the suffer irreparable damage to ourselves and our planet. Is that what we truly want? I don’t think so. And it’s surely not what the Lord our God desires for us. But He will not intrude on our free will. Thus it’s left completely up to us what will come to pass. 

And for those of us who desire better, and are doing our best to make it happen, lets’ go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. As one 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!’ 

Now friends, it’s our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do, and make our world a much better place to live! Much LOVE!

…free will is a choice…a choice…to choose the wise way…

 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   24 February 2024   Colossians 1:9b.  

24 Feb 2024 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 1:9b.       and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

 I don’t believe it, but it seems like it’s going to be another sunshiny spring-like day! Wow! So many spring-like days in a row in February…it’s too good to be true! But we better enjoy them while we have them, for who knows what might come next; ole man winter might just refresh himself and come howling back and cover us in the white stuff. Lord forbid, after all this nice weather. (smile) But that’s what climate change does; it just disrupts the finely tuned mechanism of the seasons that God set up. Leave it to man eh, always trying to disrupt God’s well balanced systems. 

Anyway, since we can only do our small part to help improve the situation, let’s turn to our great God Jehovah, the One who created it all, and still controls it from His magnificent throne in the high heavens, and offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. With sincere hearts and voices: ‘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!’ 

That’s certainly a refreshing prayer my people! And it’s ever so appropriate for a lazy-day Saturday, after a hard and exhausting week’s work. It just soothes the senses and quiets the tumultuous soul, allowing us to relax and enjoy this day that the Lord has so graciously given us. And it reminds me of the kind of prayers Bruh Paul offered up for the churches he dealt with, like this one for the church at Colossae. 

Please read with me: ‘Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the LOVE which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.’ (Col. 1:1-6) 

Oh friends, Bruh Paul was a real prayer master! While giving thanks for the church at Colossae, he was also delivering them a sermon about Christ and His gospel, that’s been spread all over the world; that’s the Word of God that is all-pervasive and absolutely true, and also has the awesome power to bring forth good fruit. In other words, when the gospel is embraced with true faith, it’s able to produce ‘godly character and noble conduct in its converts.’ Bruh Paul also encourages them re their faith and their LOVE for the saints of Christ. As the scholars explain: ‘’Evidence of a person’s faith in Christ Jesus is his LOVE … to all the saints.’ 

Then he continues: ‘As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you (on your behalf) a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared (steups!!!) unto us your LOVE in the Spirit. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transferred) us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:7-14) End of today‘s sermon my brethren! (smile) And all of God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Thanks be to God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!’ 

Oh friends, you don’t need to hear another word from me, because Bruh Paul said it almost all in that first part of his letter to the Colossians. The story seems to be that Bruh Paul’s associate, Epaphras evangelized the Colossians, which was then a small and not very important town, and he was telling them that they should certainly not forsake Epaphras’ efforts to teach them the truth of Christ’s gospel and retain the local heretic doctrine. Especially since the ‘LOVE in the Spirit,’ or the Holy Spirit had instilled and nurtured in them affection for others. 

But the heart of the message is verse 9, where Bruh Paul prays that they ‘might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual truth.’ And that’s the basis of all his prayers for the saints. He doesn’t ask for healing or health, neither wealth or any of the material things that so many of us are concerned with. He focuses on the spiritual aspect of their lives: that they might have knowledge of God’s will and spiritual understanding, so that they can walk worthy of him, while being fruitful and also increasing on the knowledge of God. Strengthened with His might, while learning patience and longsuffering and joyfulness, which obviously lead to giving thanks to the God who had taken them out of darkness of Satan’s world, into the wonderful light of His awesome Son Jesus Christ! 

Oh my fellow saints, that is indeed our sermon for today, for it also applies to each and everyone of God’s people! We need to have the same wisdom and knowledge that Bruh Paul prayed for the Colossians to have, so that we, in these troubled and uncertain times can also stand strong in God’s word, be fruitful in good works and thus live the abundant life Christ died for us to have! And in closing, I pray that Bruh Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, will be prayed by all of us, over all of us, so that we can make a sincere and serious difference in our troubled world! Much LOVE!

…pray without ceasing…be filled with the joy of the Lord…give thanks always…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 January 2020 1 Peter 5:8.

24 Jan 2020 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 5:8.    ​Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
 
And then it was Friday…and there was lots of shouting and jumping for joy! Hn! More of us were happy to see Friday, and the end of the work week, than to celebrate being alive and kicking in God’s great universe and being a BELOVED and saved child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! 

Now what’s wrong with that picture eh? Does it mean we’re putting the world before God? Maybe! And if so, then it’s a very unwise move, because when we celebrate God, with His awesome help, we are able to handle whatever the world throws at us. But following the dictates of the world, only makes life harder, for there is no help but our own, and we all know that there isn’t a lot we can do on our own. 

Remember, Jesus said that we ought to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then all the worldly things will be added to us, we won’t have to sweat and strain and break our backs to acquire them, because the Father knows we need them. (Matt. 6:32-33) So please, let’s check out our lives today nuh, and see what’s our priority; God’s kingdom and His righteousness, or the things of the world, because it’s ever so important to get our priorities right! 

And as you’d expect, the ordinary workingman is hovering in the background, eagerly and expectantly waiting to sing his song, so let’s bring him on stage nuh. (smile) And as always, he crows: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! And the chains of the slave master will be unshackled for a couple of days! 

Wow! What freedom! And yuh better believe I’m going to use that freedom to the hilt; do whatever I want, whenever I want…providing the other snake in the grass, the weather allows me to! Chuh! The weather’s been so contrary these days that you can’t make any serious plans, because it changes from one minute to the next! And yet they tell me that climate change ain’t real! Pure heifer dust yes! But if I can’t go out and do whatever I want to, then I’ll certainly do it in mih own yard, where I’m king of the castle…

Hn, hn, hn! King of which castle eh? When the wife and children protest my behaviour, then I have to modify it. So even in mih own yard, ah not really the boss nuh! But what yuh going to do eh? Nothing but grin and bear it, because nobody ever send or call me to have wife and children, is I with mih fresh self, went and look for them, so now I have to put up with whatever they bring. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE them dearly, and wouldn’t want to be without them, but yuh know, sometimes…sometimes they just cramp yuh style! (smile) And the truth of the matter is that I’m still ever so thankful for Fridays and weekends, regardless of the drawbacks!’ 

Ah friends, yuh see even when God is not your first priority, you still have barriers and boundaries to your behaviour. And as a serious and practicing child of God, we have more boundaries than most since we don’t want the enemy to compromise our lives and our living for Jesus. Consequently, our Friday Chant is somewhat different to the ordinary workingman’s song. So let’s chant it now nuh, in full voice with sincere hearts – yes our hearts must always be right when we come to the Father, otherwise He won’t acknowledge us. 

As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’ 

Now, though we have some boundaries as believers, it doesn’t mean we have to be constantly looking over our shoulder for the devil and his evil cohorts, but we do have to be careful that we don’t go too far out on the thin limbs of life. That’s why we have to constantly remember these poignant words of Peter. ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:’ 

And that’s the gospel truth friends, the enemy is always on the prowl, always looking for some way to compromise us. And not because he’s a toothless lion with more bark than bite (smile) since Jesus defeated him and now has the keys to hell death and the grave, he still can cause immense trouble in our lives if we give him the slightest opening. It’s up to us to keep our doors and windows and crevices closed so he can’t get in. 

And continuing with Peter’s advice: ‘Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (being experienced by) your brethren that are in your world.’ (1 Pet. 5:9). Oh, I know when the devil comes a calling, it doesn’t help all that much to know that other believers are suffering temptations too, but nonetheless, we must resist him through our faith in Jesus, because he’s a liar and cheat and deceiver and only wants to turn us away from God. 

Yuh see how smoothly and efficiently he made our forefathers Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit? He hasn’t changed, possibly gotten smarter and has more tools at his behest. So it’s of the utmost importance that we stand strong against him. And Peter ends with this assurance. ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you.’ (1 Pet. 5:10) 

Ah friends, some temptation and affliction is necessary in the lives of all believers, because that’s how we get strong, how our faith grows. But be aware that the Lord will never give you more than you can bear, and with every temptation, He will either carry you through it, or make a way for you to go through it. That’s his ever faithful promise! So let’s stand strong and steadfast in the faith! Much LOVE!

…though Jesus rules…the devil still exists…with his evil ways…