Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 April 2024   1 Peter 5:7.

21 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 5:7.     Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Wake up people, it’s the Lord’s day! Time to make our way to His sanctuary, to gather in fellowship, offering thanks and praise, while having our souls and spirits rejuvenated by His awesome LOVE, grace and mercy! And today’s song of praise and worship is an interesting one, written in the later years of the twentieth century by Kansas born Christian musician, Army Air Force Pilot, Moody Bible Institute Attendee, John Willard Peterson (1921-2006) The hymn is titled ‘No One understands like Jesus,’ which is the gospel truth, and it’s one in which we all can find comfort and solace from our worldly problems, just like the author found them when he wrote the song. 

The story goes that Peterson was employed by a gospel ministry when a supervisory position came open, and he was led to believe that he would receive the promotion, but instead someone from outside was brought in to fill the position. Obviously he was disillusioned and discouraged but tried not to get bitter. Then one night he happened to meet the said man, who, though he seemed to be a pleasant person, that night made several hurting and caustic remarks to Peterson. 

And according to Peterson: ‘Later that evening, after returning home, I was sitting in our living room thinking about the events of the past days and about the bitter experiences of that evening. I began to feel very alone and forsaken. Suddenly, I sensed the presence of the Lord in an unusual way and my mind was diverted from my difficulties to His faithfulness and sufficiency. Soon the thought occurred to me that He fully understood and sympathized with my situation–in fact, no one could ever completely understand, or care as did He.’ And that’s how this immortal, most appropriate song for hurting hearts was born. 

So let’s sing it now, raise our voices in sweet, sacrificial praise, in a soulful gospel fashion, echoing all the sincerity and truth it contains. Singing: ‘No one understands like Jesus. He’s a friend beyond compare; Meet Him at the throne of mercy; He is waiting for you there. (Chorus: No one understands like Jesus When the days are dark and grim; No one is so near, so dear as Jesus– Cast your ev’ry care on Him!) No one understands like Jesus; Ev’ry woe He sees and feels; Tenderly He whispers comfort, And the broken heart He heals. (Chorus) 

No one understands like Jesus When the foes of life assail; You should never be discouraged; Jesus cares and will not fail! (Chorus) No one understands like Jesus When you falter on the way; Tho’ you fail Him, sadly fail Him, He will pardon you today. (Chorus: No one understands like Jesus When the days are dark and grim; No one is so near, so dear as Jesus– Cast your ev’ry care on Him!  No one understands like Jesus When the days are dark and grim; No one is so near, so dear as Jesus– Cast your ev’ry care on Him! Cast your every care on Him, Cause no one understands like Jesus.’ 

And as we said before, that’s the gospel truth! No human being can ever reach the level of understanding that our Lord and Saviour has for us! And I like how this commentary shows the appropriateness of the song in all of our lives. It says: ‘All of us go through periods when we feel all alone, and nobody seems to care.  The problems seem so heavy, and we wish that we just had somebody who could help us through the fog that we face.  The difficult times that we are now living in have brought new, heavy tensions.  Unemployment, bills, mortgages, illnesses, family struggles, fears, terrorism, loss of freedoms, uncertainty – heavy burdens to bear.  Unfortunately, during the past year three acquaintances of mine have committed suicide to escape their troubles.  A hymn by John Peterson has often been a comfort to me when I have faced these seemingly “impossible” pressures.’  

And no doubt it has also been a comfort to many more of us, especially in the trying and troubled times that we’ve recently been through, and are still going through. So what’s the scriptural basis for the song? Peterson says that as the song came to him he began to write the comforting words from Psalm 55: The Plea of the Fearful, where Bruh David solemnly advises us to ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be shaken.’ (Ps. 55:22) Now that’s another surefire promise that the Lord will always keep! 

Then Peterson, turned to Peter, who had witnessed the perfidy of Judas, and also his own denial of Jesus three times, but then went outside and wept bitterly (John 18:15-27) He echoes the words of Bruh David. ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 6-7) And nobody knew this better than Peter, because Christ eventually forgave him for his denials. 

Christ is also our best friend as the opening verse of the hymn intimates. Remember Christ’s words to the disciples: ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.’ (John 15:13-15) And there you have the greatest bond between friends, the sharing of knowledge, then Jesus went out and laid down His life for us all! You could not get a better friend than that! 

And I believe there’s no better scripture to end with today than Jesus’ Great Invitation, where He invites all and sundry to come to Him, regardless of our trials and troubles. Thus, He says: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) Yes my fellow saints, let’s remember those most inviting words and take advantage of them, because we will certainly not find that kind of faithful and true invitation anywhere else. Much LOVE!

…Blessed be God…even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…the Father of mercies…and the God of ALL Comfort… (2 Cor. 1:3)

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 May 2022 Isaiah 52:7a.

26 May 2022 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 52:7a.      How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings (good news),

And we’ll open Today’s Bit with the all-important question that the lady in the song is asking: ‘If Jesus comes tomorrow, or if Jesus comes this afternoon, will you be ready?’ Now that should make us all stop and ponder our personal situations for a few moments. And if the answer is yes, then we can continue along the same basic path. 

However, if the answer is no, then we’d better hurry up and get ready because Jesus said it Himself, that He‘ll be coming like a thief in the night, when no one expects Him. And after He comes, there’ll be only one option available: hellfire and damnation with Satan. So, if we want to go with Jesus whenever He comes, we must get ready asap, else we’ll be left behind to face the Tribulation and whatever else the darkness of the enemy hides. 

And as I was just thumbing through the Good Book for a scripture to use, I came upon this marvellous verse from the prophet Isaiah, where he speaks on the Lord’s behalf. ‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings (good news), that publisheth (proclaims) peace; that bringeth good tidings (good news) of good (things), that publisheth (proclaims) salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!’ (Is. 52:7) And there’s absolutely no doubt that our great God reigns supreme my fellow believers! 

Listen to the psalmist tell it from Psalm 93 nuh. ‘The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved (shaken). Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.’ (Ps. 93:1-2) And that’s the indisputable truth! Our God has been around from the beginning of time, and possibly even before. (smile) He created the world and all therein, and still runs it as He pleases. It’s his fiefdom and no one can say Him nay! 

And only when we have those basic facts fully entrenched in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, can we appreciate the true majesty and wonder of our God, and believe and behave like the prophet Isaiah continues. ‘Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together they shall sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again (back) Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm (revealed his awesome power) in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.’ (Is. 52: 8-10) 

And if that isn’t the gospel truth, then I don’t know what is! For the Lord has indeed redeemed, comforted and brought salvation to His people, in fact to all the nations of the earth, through the sacrificial death, resurrection and ascension of His wonderful Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!  And that’s something to be indeed glad of and to shout about with indescribable joy! 

Oh friends, by now we all ought to know that our God doesn’t make idle promises, and He faithfully keeps them all. And the first coming of Christ got the ball rolling in God’s promise of good news, redemption, comfort and salvation. And like the prophet says, beautiful are the feet of those who bring good tidings of good things, especially good news of good things like peace, and salvation. Oh yes, we are always ready to meet and greet those who come bearing glad tidings, good news. 

And that’s what Jesus came bearing. So why are so many of us adamantly refusing to accept Him eh? Because we are foolish, and our inherent sinful nature is getting the better of us. We prefer to live in the darkness of Satan, where our evil deeds can be hidden, because we know all too well that once we accept Jesus, who is the light, our evil deeds will be most certainly exposed, and our shame will there for all the world to see.  And if we accept Jesus, then we’ll have to give up those awful sins. 

But some of us just can’t bear to give them, because they are so deeply entrenched in us, and we find them so wonderful. So, foolishly, unwisely, we stick with the enemy, enjoying the perishable things of the world, instead of turning to the imperishable things of heaven that come with the acceptance of Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour. 

But be that as it may, those of us who believe have the duty to go about spreading that good news, bringing those good tidings of salvation and eternal life to all who will listen. Jesus was very decisive when He gave what we call the Great Commission to the disciples, and subsequently to us. ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:19-20) 

Now we could not require a more direct directive than that to let us know that we must be amongst the beautiful feet on the mountains that carry the good news of Christ’s salvation to ALL the world. And, can we sincerely say that we’re doing as Jesus commanded? I do hope so. Because we have no good excuse not to do as he requires. We can’t even complain that Jesus didn’t give us the tools to do His earthly will, because He’s certainly bestowed blessings on us that we do not deserve, but are there to help us do His work. We call them our Thursday Blessings, but we need to activate them by declaring (steups!!!) them out loud. 

So, as one strong and confident voice, let’s do that right now. ‘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 every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those marvellous blessings, we now need to go out and action them, use and share them with others, just as generously and unselfishly as Jesus shared them with us. Much LOVE!

…it’s time for Christians to get our beautiful feet moving…so that we can spread the good news of Christ…that the world so badly needs to hear… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 April 2021 Matthew 10:22.

19 Apr 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 10:22.​     And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

What a bizarre time we’re going through my people! One day we hear that the police are authorized to make random stops to find out where you’re going, but the police refuse to do it. So, next day, we hear that authority has been rescinded. The government and the medical people don’t seem to be on the same wavelength at all, as there are too many conflicting statements on how to best handle the pandemic situation. But there’s no way to fix it without a fair amount of consensus among all parties. And when you add all the controversy surrounding the vaccines the whole scene is one chaotic mess. 

But let me remind us, that as sincere believers in Christ Jesus, we always have Him to turn to in times of doubt and despair. Life will never be easy or comfortable, especially when we’re living for Jesus, but He has faithfully promised that whatever negative stuff we are experiencing in the world, we can always turn to Him and receive His awesome peace and comfort that are way better than what the world offers. So, with all the bickering and dispute that’s currently going on, now is definitely a time to turn to Him for solace, comfort and wise guidance. 

A time to remember His amazing words of promise, like these. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Yes friends, that’s sometimes hard to understand and accept when our whole world seems to be falling apart. But we need to keep speaking it, keep believing it, until it sinks into our very soul and becomes a natural tool for us to handle unpleasant situations. 

And what about this other warning of persecution. ‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless (innocent) as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues…And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’ (Matt. 10:17-18, 22). And as the scholars explain: ‘In the ancient Near East the serpent was commonly regarded as the wisest of beasts. A cautious wisdom was necessary in order to deal with the fierce opposition that the disciples would face.’ 

And up to this day, the situation has remained the same: believers have to be wise and cautious in their dealings with the world. In some places today, the persecution is just as bad as in the days of the early church, but you see what a huge difference the perseverance and strong belief of the disciples made in the world, despite the terrible odds they faced. 

And in our western world, we don’t even have an ounce of the persecution they faced, yet we’re whining and crying. That ought not to be so friends. We are supposed to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The ones to lead others to Christ and all the good benefits He has to offer. And please remember that nothing worthwhile is ever easy to accomplish. 

Now listen to some more inspirational words of Jesus nuh. ‘If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would LOVE his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.’ (John 15:18-19) That’s something we too often forget my fellow saints; that we are IN the world, but not OF the world. So let’s stand up strong and face the world mano a mano nuh. Remember Jesus has already overcome it, and we only need to keep the victory going, with His help obviously. 

And in what is known in some circles, as the long version of the Lord’s Prayer (John 17) Jesus didn’t only pray for the disciples but also for us. ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one: as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.’ ( John 17:20-21) 

Yuh see that mih bredrin, Jesus knew that His plan would work, and that down through the ages people would believe in Him having not seen Him in person, and He wanted them to be separate, sanctified, living as one, not as the many warring denominations we now have. But as we say, while there is life, there’s always hope, and I believe these difficult times were meant to bring us together and back to God, so let’s do just that nuh, be as one, in sincere prayer, and offer up what we term our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. 

Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You that this Monday morning we’re alive and standing in faith despite the mass confusion that’s currently prevailing in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems; the pandemic of Covid -19, the racial, political, and religious strife that’s ignited worldwide, plus the many natural disasters that now seem more prevalent than ever. 

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously come short in obedience and compliance to Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, and You have faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us, ordinary folks, as well as our leaders, employers and medical personnel, wise guidance and direction to bring our problems under control. 

And for those who are currently suffering from the many negative situations, we pray that You will ease their suffering and heal them. Father, please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again we say: Amen!’ 

Now, having said all of that, we need to show true humility and sincere repentance, if we want God to affirmatively answer our plea. Much LOVE!

…bear patiently the slings of the world…and your reward will be great…both in heaven and on earth… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2020 Matthew 11:28.

16 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 11:28.     Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
 

Sunday, oh Sunday… one more day closer to the second coming of Jesus and the end times! Yes, it might take another two thousand years, or it might just be round the corner, (smile) only the Lord God Jehovah knows when, and it won’t happen until He judges it to be the right time. For as the author of Hebrews says, recalling the prophet Habakkuk’s words – Chap. 2:3-4: ‘For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry (delay).’ (Heb. 10:37) 

But whenever it happens, we must not be caught napping, but be ever ready and watching, for as Jesus warned: ‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.’ (Rev. 16:15) Yes my fellow believers, that means we need to get together today and celebrate the Lord’s Day; give Him much thanks and sing His awesome praises for being so good to the undeserving children of men. 

And we going to set that in motion by singing this awesome song ‘I Am Committed to Jesus,’ performed by Maxine Duncan, the popular Jamaican Evangelist and Gospel Singer. And since we also claim to be committed to Jesus, let’s open our hearts and souls and let our mouths shout forth our sacrifices of praise to high heaven in sweet, sincere and soulful harmony. 

All together now: ‘Oh yeah, oh yeah! Thank You Jesus! Early this morning, I woke from my sleep I heard His voice spoke softly to me He says my child you have had some lonely nights That’s why I am here to comfort you if you only believe (Chorus: That’s when I committed my life to Him Cause I know that He cares for me Yes I have committed my life to Him I know he cares, He’ll always be there That’s why I am committed.) 

It was in the dark, He revealed Himself to me He said my child I am your destiny Lonely nights I spent in agony As I prayed secretly, I started to cry I am committed [Yes I have committed my life to Him I know that he cares for me Yes I have committed my life to Him I know he cares, He will always be there That’s why I am committed) 

When Trials come and they seem so hard to bear Yes Jesus knows what you are going through Your circumstances, He will fix it for you He’ll take your hand, He’ll lead you on You will always be strong. (Yes I have committed my life to Him Cause I know that He cares for me Yes I have committed my life to Him I know he cares, He will always be there That’s why I am committed. I know he cares He will always be there That’s why I am committed. I know he cares He will always be there That’s why I am committed’ 

Oh friends, what a soul chilling rendition of a song that’s totally filled with gospel truth from beginning to end! It’s what Jesus does: He calls to us in the dark and lonely times, in that soft and comforting voice and invites us to come to Him for help, for life changing succour. And there’s no better scripture to describe it than His Great Invitation. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:20-30) 

Now I challenge anybody to find a better invitation than that… and one that the inviter can keep too, not merely pleasant words, who’s promise they can’t action. But Jesus can action His promise. In fact He can action anything at all, even the seemingly impossible! That’s why I can’t understand why people, as the world says, down on their luck, refuse to turn to Jesus for comfort and solace. 

Who else can forgive our sins, who else sacrificed them self and bore our sins for all eternity, who else rose from the grave and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father now and interferes on our behalf eh? No one but Jesus! So why do fickle and foolish men find it so ridiculous to turn to Him when their lives are in a rut eh? I guess it’s basically pride. Just like the foolish Lucifer let pride goad him into trying to take over heaven from the One who created it. Steups! 

What ignorance eh, when the created thinks he can overthrow the creator! No wonder Cousin Sol wrote in Proverbs: ‘Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.’ (Prov. 16:22-23) 

Truer words were never spoken my brethren! And that’s why I’m pleading with us to not negate the call of Jesus, for He’s always on the lookout for those who need Him. And He’s saying right now to many of us: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup (dine) with him, and he with me.’ (Rev. 3:20) 

Oh my people, I don’t know what else we expect Jesus to do before we accept Him nuh. He’s knocking at the doors of many hearts today, I beg you, for your sake, please don’t ignore His plea, open your hearts and let him in today, right now. It’s the best decision you’ll ever make. I promise…no, He promises that you’ll never regret it. Much LOVE!

…true LOVE, comfort and forgiveness…can only be found in Jesus… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 June 2020 1 Peter 5:7.

07 Jun 2020 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 5:7.    ​Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
 

One more Sunday, one more day of technological fellowship and thanksgiving. Hn! And are we ever getting good at it! But it’s never ever going to be the same as worshipping our great God in a physical space together, with hugs and kisses and handshakes and godly greetings, because the Lord made us to be people of physical fellowship, not this over the airwaves stuff. (smile) But since we don’t have much choice right now, let’s enjoy what we have, because the Lord is ALWAYS pleased with praise and worship however, or wherever we perform it. 

So let’s get to some praise with this awesome and oh so appropriate hymn for these turbulent times, written by John W. Peterson (1921-2006) and titled ‘No One Understands Like Jesus.’ And if that isn’t the living truth friends, then I don’t know what is nuh! Therefore, with raised voices, in heartfelt sincerity and soulful harmony let’s thank our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for His unbiased understanding and sincere empathy, because as a man, He experienced the trials and tribulation of earthly life, like we’re currently doing. 

Now let’s unleash our sacrifice of praise which our God LOVES to hear. ‘No one understands like Jesus; He’s a Friend beyond com-pare. Meet Him at the throne of mercy; He is waiting for You there. (Chorus: No one under-stands like Jesus When the days are dark and grim. No one is so near, so dear as Jesus; Cast Your every care on Him.) No understands like Jesus; Every woe He sees and feels. Tenderly He whispers comfort, And the broken heart He heals. 

(Chorus ….) No one understands like Jesus When the foes of life assail. You should never be discouraged; Jesus cares and will not fail. (Chorus…) No one understands like Jesus When you falter on the way. Though you fail Him, sadly fail Him, He will pardon You today. (Chorus: No one under-stands like Jesus When the days are dark and grim. No one is so near, so dear as Jesus; Cast Your every care on Him.) 

Ah mih people, in this time of sickness and strife, there’s no better place to cast our care than upon Jesus, for remember He understands what we’re going through, since He also went through dark nights of rejection, discouragement and enormous pain and suffering. So our troubles are nothing new to Him. That’s why Peter tells us so emphatically: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ And that’s gospel truth or God would not have sacrificed Jesus and have Him pay for our sins. 

And Jesus Himself dearly and desperately wants us to come to Him for hope, comfort and succour, peace, LOVE and joy; all the wonderful things that heaven allows. Hear Him in the Great Invitation nuh… and don’t tell me yuh tired hearing it either, because if we’d only listen and accept it, we wouldn’t have half the problems we now have. So please listen up and positively action the invitation, the greatest one that’s ever been offered! ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) 

Oh friends, I don’t understand us nuh; man is supposed to be the wisest creature in the universe, but when we find ourselves in trouble and can’t get out of it on our own accord, we still refuse to turn to Jesus for help. We prefer to suffer in our despair and tribulation. Now is that wisdom? Not in my book! And the sad part is that the scriptures have so many encouraging and comforting words, if we’d only wake up and own them. Let’s check out a couple nuh. Hear this one from the longest chapter in the Good Book, Psalm 119: ‘Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me (given me life).’ (Ps.119:49-50) 

Oh my people, we were created to use the Word as a lifeline; to give us hope and comfort from our afflictions! So why aren’t we using it eh? And hear Bruh David from Psalm 61: ‘Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.’ (Ps. 61:1-3) Oh my fellow saints in Christ, if Bruh David, a man after God’s own heart, could cry unto the Lord when his heart was overwhelmed and find succour, why can’t we eh? 

Now hear Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘For whatsoever things were written aforetime (beforehand) were written for our learning, that we through patience (perseverance) and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.’ (Rom.15:4) Yes mih bredrin, the scriptures were indeed authored so that we could have hope! And if in these disastrous times you don’t have hope, then turn to the scriptures, that’s simple common sense! If there’s one thing we need to live this life successfully it’s hope! Without it, we’re dead in spirit. 

And here’s something I believe I’ve quoted before, but it’s ever so timely right now. It comes from an article titled ‘Prisoners of Hope,’ by one Joshua Ryan Butler. And he unequivocally states: ‘Hope is a revolution, a powerful presence that breaks in from the future and transforms today. Jesus’ arrival has brought God’s destiny for humanity crashing into now – an explosion of life into a world marked by death. It changes everything.’ 

And that’s the kind of world we’re currently living in; one marked by death, and the only real hope for us to move from death to life, is to embrace Jesus and His wonderful revolution of hope, which ultimately fosters His LOVE Revolution. Yes friends, Jesus is, was, and always will be the ultimate revolutionary! Much LOVE

…want to be in a successful revolution… then join Jesus’…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 May 2020 Psalm 100:1.

28 May 2020 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 100:1.    ​Make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto the Lord, all ye lands (all the earth). 
 

Well it’s not as bright and sunshiny in my area as it’s been the last several days; it’s somewhat cloudy… And we could really use some rain, to cool down the heat and nourish the parched ground. But we’ll just have to wait and see what the Lord has in mind for our area. And on that computer problem I encountered halfway through writing the Bit yesterday morning, it’s been fixed. And I have to laugh because it was a simple problem; my keyboard needed batteries. Hn! 

And it was actually one of the first things I thought of when the problem occurred, but for some reason I never followed up on it, and even later in the night when my young D  and I were trying to brain storm the problem, that never occurred to either of us. It’s only when I contacted the support department which suggested it, that I remembered that possibility. And as soon as the new batteries were put in, the computer worked like a charm. 

Oh, the ways the enemy finds to get into our hearts, bodies and souls and disrupt our lives eh! But thankfully, he didn’t make me lose my joy, but nonetheless I fell behind in all the stuff I had planned to do yesterday. And I guess in his books that is still a win. (smile) But yuh know what? We are not going to let the ole geezer disturb our peace today, because we’re going to be talking about ‘Newborn Ecstasy!’ found in a poem in our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. 

So please pray with me: ‘O Lord, When I resolve to come to You Amid the chunks and cracks Of all my mundane days – When I resolve to listen Really listen to Your gentle voice Suddenly I know anew That you are life And life is joy! Like a singing brook Joy splashes over All the common “dailies” Until each empty space Of my hungry heart Is touched with newborn ecstasy.’ 

Oh friends, it is indeed when we walk sincerely with the Lord, are obedient to His will that we find true ecstasy! Yes, it’s not always easy walking the straight and narrow path, but you can bet your bottom dollar that as Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say, ‘Your worst day with Jesus is better than your best day without Him!’ Glory be! And isn’t that the gospel truth! Oh brother, you all just went and got the ole fella excited and now he can’t control the excitement. (smile) So let’s continue being excited in the Lord nuh, for there’s nothing better than that! And we’ll show that excitement by reciting, singing or whatever way you choose, Psalm 100; a psalm of praise or thanksgiving. 

It’s also the Bible verse used for our poem above. So let’s go nuh: ‘Make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto the Lord, all ye lands (all the earth). Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves (his we are); we are his people, and the sheep of is pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:1-5) 

Wow mih people! What encouraging words of indisputable truth! It’s only when we worship the mighty and merciful Lord God Jehovah, come before Him with praise and thanksgiving that our souls experience real joy, real ecstasy! That truly euphoric state cannot be experienced in any other way! So let’s try and open up our hearts and souls to Him today…and everyday nuh. When He comes knocking let’s allow strong and overwhelming faith to run to the doors of our hearts and joyfully greet Him! Then open our whole body and soul to Him, so that He can fill us with the peace, the joy, the LOVE and comfort that just naturally exudes from Him! That’s how we experience ecstasy of soul! 

And consequently, we are able to successfully navigate all the storms and fires and floods and evil circumstances that this devilish world desires to inundate us with. Yes friends, wisdom and common sense dictate that we hang with the Risen Christ if we want to have enjoyable and successful lives, both here on earth and in heaven above. Please remember…better yet, let’s write these memorable words of Christ indelibly in our hearts so that we won’t ever forget them. 

‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5) Mamacita! Yuh hear that mih bredrin! Jesus spells it out loud and clear: without Him, we can do NOTHING! Please, let’s keep that first and foremost in our consciousness. 

And as Bruh Paul reminded the Corinthians: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) And yuh know friends, that’s our problem right there: we think too much of our blooming petty, greedy, power hungry but oh so frail and fragile, mortal selves. We believe we’re such hot shots with the li’l knowledge that we’ve acquired down through the ages, that we can now toss God, our Creator, our Deliverer and Provider aside. And very conveniently we seem to forget who made the heavens, the earth and all therein! Well let’s see us toss this coronavirus aside nuh! End of sermon! 

Now for the wise ones amongst us, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Thursday Blessings, that the Lord has so generously granted us to do his earthly work. All together, in strong, voice with sincere hearts: ‘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!’ 

So let’s go out now, while physically distancing, and share those blessings just as generously as the Lord shared them with us. That’s His ardent desire! Much LOVE!

…until we come to Christ…there will ALWAYS be…a lonely and empty space in our souls… 

P.S. I hope you all enjoy reading this and get excited like I did while writing it. (smile) Much LOVE!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 February 2020 Romans 8:28.

09 Feb 2020 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:28.    ​And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
 
Come Sunday morning, me and my friends are heading for the Lord’s sanctuary, to celebrate His day, to give Him thanks and praise, to call to Him for help, and receive said help through the hearing of His Word, the supernatural moving of His Holy Spirit and encouragement from our fellow believers! That’s what me and my friends are going to do this Sunday morning – or evening – come hell or high water! 

Oh my people, a li’l cold or inclement weather shouldn’t stop us from getting out to the celebrations at some time of the day. Just think what our lives would be like if Jesus didn’t feel like coming to earth and going to the cross nuh? Remember the Father didn’t force Him, but He agreed to do it after He pointed out that Jesus was the only choice the bunch of sinful ingrates He created had of bypassing the consuming fires of hell. So having to make a bit of a sacrifice to go out one day a week and praise and give Him the glory He so assuredly deserves, should not be a big thing. 

Anyway, as always, we’ll begin the proceedings with some worship. And today’s hymn is an old one we all know and LOVE. It’s titled, ‘It is Well with my Soul.’ It highlights the incredible story of faith of one Horatio Spafford (1828-1888), who at the height of success and prosperity, like Job, suffered much tragedy. A prominent and prosperous Christian Chicago lawyer, he first suffered the loss of his son, then the Great Chicago Fire destroyed his real estate investments, then in 1873, he sent his wife and four daughters on a boat trip to Europe. 

However, a few days later, he received a telegram from his wife that said: ‘Saved alone…’ The boat had been shipwrecked and all four daughters lost. And ostensibly this oldie but goldie was created a short time later when Spafford on his way to meet his wife, was passing over the area where his daughters lost their lives. Now having heard that background, let’s open our hearts and voices to high heaven in a soulful and harmonious rendition of this testament to faith, and the resilience that can be found in Christ when it’s called for. 

As one now: ‘When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say It is well, it is well, with my soul (Chorus: It is well (it is well) With my soul (with my soul) It is well, it is well with my soul.) Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. (Chorus) My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul (Chorus) 

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. (Chorus) But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal; Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! (Chorus) And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul. It is well (it is well) With my soul (with my soul) It is well, it is well with my soul.’ 

Oh my people, what strong, incredible faith, what inordinate trust what herculean courage was called for to pen those awesome, but oh so true words! I doubt many believers (steups!) would have been able to do it, because not many of us have those magnanimous parts. Many of us would have been cursing God, even turned away from Him. But Mr. Spafford, in his tragic circumstance probably remembered Job’s story, possibly even read it, and like Job, concluded that ranting and raving against God would not help the situation. 

He obviously rejected Job’s wife’s advice in favour of Job’s wisdom: ‘Then said his (Job’s) wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall nor receive (accept) evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.’ (Job 2:9-10) Friends, that’s one of the most interesting and enlightening conversations in the Good Book. 

And the scholars explain it thus: ‘2:9-10. Job’s wife suggested that Job do what Satan had predicted: curse God. After all she had been through, it was no wonder she was ready to give up all hope. But Job recognized that both good and evil come from God’s hand, though one by His active will and the other by His permissive will. God can permit evil things to happen for good ends (cf. Gen. 50:19-20; Bruh Joseph’s story). In all this did not Job sin is proof enough that Satan was wrong and was sorely defeated. Satan does not appear again in the book.’ 

And I guess Horatio Spafford also proved Satan wrong, because instead of cursing God, he wrote a touching testimonial to His awesome comfort and consolation in times of heartbreak and severe tragedy. And the only thing we can really do in those cases, unless we want to drive ourselves crazy, is hang on to this awesome scripture verse of hope: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ No other scripture can give us a supposedly comforting reason for why bad things happen to good people, and vice versa. 

Friends, we just have to put our total trust in Almighty God and remember what He’s done for us in the past, and lean on His promise that He will never leave or forsake us. Remember His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and He knows the end from the beginning, so we just have to surrender our all to Him, regardless of the circumstances. That’s what true faith is all about! Much LOVE!

…ours is not to question…just to trust and obey…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 October 2019 Matthew 16:24.

29 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 16:24.     If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.
 

It’s a somewhat damp and foggy Tuesday morning in my neck of the woods, so please be careful all you who have to get out on the road, because you know the kind of craziness that exists on our roadways these days. If you can wait until the fog lifts, please do so. And today we’re going to look at a very interesting quote from one of the leading Protestant Theologians of our age, Jurgen Moltman (1926) of the German Reformed Church. And the quote says: ‘The more passionately we LOVE life, the more intensely we experience the joy of life.’ 

And isn’t that the gospel truth friends! When we’re passionate about life, or anything really, we enjoy the experience that thing brings more than if we’re not passionate about it. And there’s nothing to be more passionate about than the LOVE of God and the LOVE of life! Unfortunately though, too many of us have lost the passion we once had for real life and for God, and instead have embraced the unrealistic, soul destroying, short-lasting and unproductive passion for worldly stuff. We have to remember that life is not, and will never be completely smooth sailing, but a combination of storms and calms, highs and lows, and ‘choosing to live life on its terms brings enthusiasm and passion into our experiences. Our decision to LOVE life – despite the highs and lows – allows us to delight in the highs and to accept the lows as unavoidable, but momentary setbacks.’ 

Yeh friends, as someone once said, ‘setbacks are only opportunities in disguise.’ Therefore, though we may not like them, and they may prove to be difficult and frustrating, we still need to embrace them as important aspects of our lives, because we know that it is only through setbacks and adversity that we truly grow. We can’t hide from the difficult things, or those we don’t like, else we’ll never know or experience the true fullness and joy of life. Those who are passionate and enthusiastic about life, despite its many shortcomings, are the ones who rise to the top of the enjoyment heap. (smile) 

And the BEST way to handle life’s ups and downs is through the acceptance of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives! If you didn’t know that before, then you know it now! (smile) Oh my people, with Jesus as the mainstay, the mainmast, the pilot of our lives, we can remain calm through every storm, and handle every high and low with equanimity. But only the LOVE and acceptance of Jesus enables us to have those wonderful qualities! And why is that eh? Because when Jesus enters into our hearts and lives He puts the power of His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, and it’s that Holy Spirit that leads and guides, teaches and convicts, comforts and LOVES us, so that we can handle whatever comes against us with a good and sane attitude. 

Now, before we go any further, let’s make one thing real clear; following Jesus is wonderful, but it’s not always easy! And unless you’re ready to truly hunker down and do what He asks, then you’ll find yourself frustrated and unhappy from the very get go. So let’s look at some of the important but difficult stuff that Jesus laid out for His followers. The first and most important, but also most difficult requirement is laid down in these words of our Lord and Saviour to the disciples. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.’ That statement there usually stops many of us right in our tracks! The idea of denying ourselves and taking up a cross doesn’t sit well with any of us, but to follow Jesus they are necessary prerogatives. 

And here’s what the scholars have to say about it. ‘16:22-28. Deny himself, that is, refuse his own claims upon himself. Take up: The meaning is “lift up.” It is a stronger word than that used in 10:38, and implies a lifting up of the cross on high, so that all may see it. This is the strongest statement in the New Testament about the disciple’s need to crucify himself, by yielding to the claims of Christ’s lordship over him.’ Ah mih people, although it seems like we’re asked to give up so much for Christ, the reality is that we get back much much more than we give up when we’re steadfast and sincere. 

Now here’s what I LOVE about Jesus; He can give you comfort at the same time as promising adversity. Listen to Him to the disciples, and consequently to all His future followers. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Oh glory be my faithful brethren! What a mighty promise! The world is full of trials and tribulation, but when we embrace Jesus, we can have His peace! And what kind of peace is that? Listen to Jesus again: ‘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 hear how Bruh Paul describes that peace to the Philippians nuh. ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.4:7) And what kind of peace is all of that? The scholars explain: ‘4:7. The peace of God is that tranquility of mind freeing the believer from fear and worry. “Peace” which passeth all understanding means (1) peace divinely bestowed in times of anxiety, so wonderful that it exceeds one’s ability to understand it; and (2) God’s peace far surpassing one’s own understanding of the problem, and his ability to cope with and solve it.’ 

Yeh friends, when you walk sincerely with Jesus, ALL bases are covered! That’s not say you won’t have problems and face adversity, but you will be able to handle them with the awesome help of the Holy Spirit! Wow! Now, for those of us who truly believe and try to be faithful, let’s go home lifting up our crosses high, so the whole world can know who and whose we are. 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!’ 

So let’s go out and do exactly that nuh my faithful brethren, as it behooves us as true followers of Christ. Much LOVE!

…to walk with Christ…is to walk in true peace…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 June 2019 Isaiah 55:1.

18 Jun 2019 Leave a comment

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Isaiah 55:1.    ​Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
 

Ah friends, it looks like it’s going to be one of those days; all the joints are aching and the ole fella’s dragging like an old man! Chuh! I hate when that happens, especially when I’m on a nice, fairly long, pain free run…well not completely pain free, because it’s never that nowadays. (smile) 

Yuh know what I mean though; not having to take no setta pain pills and moving along smooth and easy, the way the duchess likes to see her husband move. (smile) But as you also know, prayer is the panacea, the cure-all for ALL the ills of the soul, so let’s get into a nice li’l uplifting prayer from Gramps Schuller’s (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional nuh. It’s simply titled: ‘Fill Me!’ 

Please pray with me: ‘O Lord, like the thirsty deer which goes to drink from the mountain springs; like the growing flower which turns hungrily to the satisfying sun; like the empty pitcher which is carried to the fountain to be filled; so I come, O God, knowing that in this time of prayer my soul will be filled with your LOVE and your truth. Thank you Lord! Amen.’  

Yes my people, if we were sincere and humble in that prayer, but also confident that God would grant our desire, then right now we’re being filled with the LOVE and truth of our heavenly father by the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Glory be, precious saints of Christ! What a great and wonderful God we serve my faithful brethren! 

A God who desires us to come to Him whenever we’re tired and thirsty, famished and broken down for rest, comfort and succour. That’s why the prophet Isaiah wisely advised his people, the Israelites, to ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near.’ (Is.55:6) 

Yes friends, that’s simply common sense imbued with heavenly wisdom! (smile) He’s our Creator and Provider, so who else we going to call on eh? Surely not Ghostbusters, nor the evil one! And in keeping with the thirsty theme, I just want to look at some of the scriptures that powerfully illustrate our message, beginning with this wonderful, unimaginable invitation from God Himself, through Isaiah, to His people Israel, and consequently to us. 

‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.’ Wow! What an invitation mih breddren! Nobody else can ever match that! Buying spiritual milk and water and food for free! Only in the realm of our magnificent and magnanimous God is that possible! 

Hear what the scholars say about that nuh. ’55:1-7. God’s free gift of salvation is offered to ALL who will receive it. Those who are spiritually hungry and thirsty may come to eat and drink without money (or freely). He promises an everlasting covenant to the Gentiles like the one He established with Israel. His invitation to ALL men is clearly stated by the appeal, Seek ye the Lord and call ye upon him.’ 

And here now are a few scriptures where men hungry and thirsty for God did just that, beginning with this favourite from Psalm 42 – An intense longing for God. ‘As the hart (deer) panteth after (longs for) the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’ (Ps.42:1-2) 

Oh my people, are we that hungry and thirsty for our great God? I would certainly like to think so, but unfortunately the reality of our actions in these evil times doesn’t show it. It’s more like we’ve forgotten that God exists, and more like we’re trying to get rid of Him from our broken down and evil society. 

But just a word of caution; that’s impossible to do. He might allow us to carry on with our nonsense for a time, but in the end, He will have the last word and the last laugh. So please let’s wake up and realize that our world is on the brink of destruction and only real and strong faith in Christ Jesus can ever help us to fix it. Enough preaching though. (smile) 

Hear Bruh David now from Psalm 63 – God satisfies the thirsting soul. ‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.’ (Ps.63:1) 

And in Psalm 107 – God’s wonderful works to the children of men, the psalmist declares thus: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness (LOVING-kindness).’ (Ps.107:8-9) Oh that men nowadays would really take those words of wisdom to heart and action them! Our world would be a much better place! 

And one more time from Bruh David from Psalm 143 – Teach me to do thy will. ‘ I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse (ponder) on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land.   Selah.’ (Ps.143:5-6) Ah mih people, again we see Bruh David in anguish of spirit and soul, possibly beset by enemies thirstily crying out for God to fill him with grace and mercy and LOVING-kindness! So who are we not to do the same eh? 

Anyway, here is the definitive word on a spiritually hungry and thirsty soul…from none other than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, from His Sermon on the Mount. ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’ (Matt.5:6) And isn’t that the gospel truth! Those of us who are poor and hungry in spirit and realize the depth of our need and faithfully seek God, will indeed be filled with the Lord’s grace, mercy and LOVING-kindness! 

And having imbued our soul and spirit with those uplifting, assuring and comforting words, let’s go home now declaring (yes!) our Tuesday Mantra, proudly telling the world who and whose we are! In strong voice, as one: ‘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!’ 

Oh glory be mih people! What joy it brings to the soul when we are beloved of Jesus and can sincerely count Him as our friend! So please let’s go out and share that good news now nuh! It’s our bounden duty! Much LOVE!

…oh, words cannot describe…how wonderful it feels…to have Jesus…living right here within me…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 June 2019 Psalm 108:5.

13 Jun 2019 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 108:5.    ​Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.
 

Oh yes friends, I had another first last night, or rather this morning: sitting on my porch, dressed in next to nothing  (smile) at minutes to two in the morning enjoying peaceful communion with my Maker! Wow! Is that ever peaceful and nice! What with few lights around and the stillness, except for the highway sounds in the far background! Is it ever a great time to enjoy quiet communion with our heavenly Father. 

And He likes it too, because there are fewer distractions available to come between us. Just like they say an empty church has more room for God, likewise, a quiet time offers more opportunity for serious communication with Him. I’d certainly advise trying it sometime. (smile) And since we’re talking about good, quiet times with the Father, then here is a most appropriate poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s aptly titled ‘Rare Moments of Delight!’ 

Please pray with me: ‘Because You are God And Your Word is unquestionable There are things I assuredly know Even when my heart is a brambled desert And every ounce of emotion is drained: I know Your LOVE is everlasting I know You will NEVER forsake me Nor will You leave me comfortless I know I may come to You boldly 

I know You will teach and instruct me You will guide me with Your eye I know my past is forgiven And my future is secure. But oh, dear God How I praise You for the marvel Of those rare moments When suddenly, without a flash or a sound You add to my knowing The ecstasy of feeling And I am lifted to peaks of delight!’ 

Wow mih people! Wow! What else can I say eh? It’s one of those peaks of rare and sudden delight that I experienced this morning out on my porch, just me and the Lord alone! And what’s amazing and amusing is that I wasn’t planning on going outside nuh, I just came downstairs to get something to munch on, then as I was coming down the stirs the idea to check out the porch just occurred. 

But getting back to the poem, yuh see friends, how many things we are assured of by our heavenly Father, and how many things we are supposed to know for certain? The only problem is that we might know them in our heads, but we don’t action them enough in our hearts, where it really matters! And that’s where our version of Christianity breaks down in these evil and ungodly times. We badly need to action those things in our hearts if we’re to survive and be successful in these very trying and strife-filled days. 

Oh, we claim to know that God LOVES us unconditionally, and He’ll never leave us or forsake us, and we can go to Him at any time for comfort and guidance, but most of it is just talk. How many of us actually do that in the good times eh? And even when times get tough, and we seem lost in a fog, plenty of us still refuse to turn to our Creator and Provider because of foolish pride! 

But friends, the truth is that our Father who is in heaven truly desires us to come to Him, at any time, for EVERYTHING! He wants to be our difference maker! And if we know all those things that poem says we know, why is there such lack of communication between our Creator and us eh? But enough lecturing, (smile) everybody has to make their own decisions and do what they think is best, but for me and my house, we will follow the Lord! And family, please don’t make me a liar on that point eh! (smile) 

Now the Bible verse for that poem is also our Bit for today: ‘Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.’ And that’s exactly how it ought to be my fellow saints in Christ! If God has been so good to us, then we should be exalting and praising and lifting Him up to the high heavens. And the interesting part about our Bit is that the first five verses of Psalm 108 are also the last five of Psalm 57. And Bruh David even thought it important enough that he also made it verse 5 of Psalm 57. 

So let’s hear what he has to say in the other verses nuh. ‘My heart is fixed (steadfast), O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory, awake psaltery (lute) and harp: I myself will awake early (awaken the dawn). I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.’ (Ps.57:7-11; Ps.108:1-5) 

And until we seriously begin doing what those verses say my people, our witness won’t be worth very much. But our God is so good and gracious and has so much faith in us, (smile) that despite our reluctance to exalt and glorify Him, He has still seen it fit to bless us with the ‘numerosity’ (smile) of our Thursday Blessings. And since they only come into play when we declare them, let’s do that right now nuh, with plenty gusto and confidence. 

‘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 lest we forget, or allow the greedy and selfish purposes of the world to blind us, those blessings were not given to us to selfishly hoard, but to share with the less fortunate in our suffering world! So please, let’s do just that nuh, and thus warm the cockles of Jesus’ heart! Much LOVE!

…he that has ears to hear…let him hear…

 

 

 

 

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