Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 July 2021 1 Thessalonians 6:17.

01 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 6:17.     Pray without ceasing.

It’s Thursday…the first day of July! That means it’s Canada Day! Our Independence Day! And celebrations are in order. Unfortunately though, the problems of the pandemic and racial problems, plus the recent discoveries of several unmarked, unknown burial sites of Indigenous children has marred the celebratory attitude. Many are calling for a boycott of the celebrations, but that won’t change the past, and we all know that every country in the world has some very unpleasant skeletons from terrible atrocities hidden in its closet, that’s just the nature of nation building followed by mankind down through the ages. 

Canada is still one of the best countries in the world, and if we try to tear down all the other good things we’ve built, there will be no going forward, just backward. We need to temper the harshness with some wisdom and common sense, using education and reconciliation and truth to handle this unpleasant news. 

So, despite the heaviness that’s currently sitting on the conscience of our country, I’m wishing us a Happy Canada Day! Celebrate with a modicum of reservation, appreciating the hurt that many others are experiencing today. Right now, our world is such an angry and negative place with so little positivity and compassion that we don’t need any more to drag it further down into the mire. And while looking through our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, I came upon this poem which I believe typifies our lives, and thus the current state of our world. It’s rather appropriately titled ‘The Reason.’ 

Please pray with me. ‘God, why am I so often defeated? Why am I so full of dread and anxiety? Why am I so lamentably weak – So perilously susceptible to temptation? Why am I often inhospitable So intolerant of the needs of others? Why am I so undisciplined So restless and dissatisfied? Why do I protest so violently? Above all. God Why do I so frequently lose The sense of Your shining Presence? God, why? Why? — Because you pray so little.’ 

And isn’t that an awesomely accurate portrait of so many of us, and consequently our world in these trying times, in these last days? It certainly is! There is indeed much more negativity than LOVE and compassion! The prince of darkness has our world in the palm of His hand and is trying to squeeze the very life blood out of it. And one of the reasons why that’s possible is because we supposed believers in Jesus Christ don’t pray enough, therefore we are not divinely inspired enough to get up and fight, to beat back the enemy. 

So what’s the answer eh? Obviously, we have to begin by praying more, by sincerely seeking Jesus more, giving Him a bigger space and place in our lives than we’re currently doing. Remember, He’s the answer to ALL our prayers, the calm in the storm, our refuge and fortress, and all those other good things! But if we don’t communicate with him, pray and acknowledge His power and presence, we won’t be able to handle the enemy who’s so intent on coming against us. And the Bible verse that’s used as the promise for our poem are the simple but very powerful words of Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians. ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17) 

It could not be any simpler or clearer than that my fellow saints in Christ! Prayer is the ultimate means of communication with our heavenly Father, and just as we don’t get much from our earthly fathers if we don’t talk or communicate with them, likewise, lack of communication with God, does little or nothing for us. Bruh Paul said it thus to the Ephesians, when he told them about putting on the armour of God to fight the enemy. ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph. 6:18) 

Yes friends, even with God’s powerful armour encasing our souls, prayer is still necessary to make it all work. And if you still don’t believe that prayer is absolutely necessary, then listen to these words of Jesus as He rebukes His inner circle in the Garden of Gethsemane when He, Himself went to pray at the most anguished time of His earthly life, the night before His crucifixion. They were supposed to be watching with him, but had fallen asleep. ‘He saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ (Matt. 26: 40-41) 

And we know that’s the gospel truth friends! Our flesh is by nature weak and sinful, so we need the power of the Spirit, the grace of God to be truly strong. Now one last word from Jesus on the subject of prayer. Luke opens chapter 18 with these telling words. ‘And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (lose heart).’ (Luke 18:1) He could not be more definitive than that my brethren! And we all know that prayer was Jesus’ most powerful passion. As Mark immortalizes it in his gospel. ‘And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.’ (Mark 1:35) 

So friends, if the Son of God found it necessary to pray often, to have close communication with His heavenly Father, why would we, mere mortals, finite creations, not have the same expectation and desire eh? I’ll leave that question for each of us to answer in our own way and time. (smile) In the meanwhile, for those of us who are sincerely trying to make a difference, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!) our Thursday Blessings, that the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. 

Altogether 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!’  

Now it’s time for us to go out and share those blessings just as generously with those we meet on our earthly journey. Much LOVE!

…prayer…the most important tool…in a Christian’s tool kit…                                                                                    

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 November 2017 John 16:24.

14 Nov 2017 Leave a comment

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

John 16:24.   Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Aye mih people, there’s been rebellion in the camp this Tuesday morning; a strong sense of mutiny is in the air. My aging, aching and apparently weary body bluntly refused to get up this morning when I commanded it to. 

Steups! It simply stated that it was not well rested enough to get up and perform the duties I desired, then calmly rolled over and went back to sleep. What is our world coming to eh, when our own flesh is rebelling against us eh? (smile) 

I obviously had no choice but to roll over and go back to sleep with it… That is until it felt rested enough to get up and perform its duties in the excellent manner that our Leader, Jesus Christ requires of us. 

Ah mih friends, yesterday was indeed a bit rough on the body, and not because of any great doings nuh, just the simple day-to-day aspects of living, but without the required rest thrown in for good measure. And that’s what’s killing many of us; we try to live life too busily, what with all the amenities we have, multitasking and what not. 

But that’s not how God made us to go about this earthly life. And here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises titled ‘The Reason,’ which accentuates what I’m talking about. 

Please pray with me. ‘God, why am I so often defeated? Why am I so full of dread and anxiety? Why am I so lamentably weak – So perilously susceptible to temptation? Why am I so often inhospitable So intolerant of the needs of others? Why am I so undisciplined So restless and dissatisfied? Why do I protest so violently? Above all, God Why do I so frequently lose The sense of your shining Presence? God, why? Why?’ 

Oh my fellow believers, too often, too many of us cry out to the Lord with words and feelings akin to those. But you know what God replies. It’s so simple and true: ‘Because you pray so little.’ Amen! 

Yeh friends, if our souls and spirits are always, or too often in turmoil, then it simply means that we’re not communicating with our heavenly Father enough. 

And the Bible verse for that promise is the middle verse of these simple and basic instructions from Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians. ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess.5:16-18) 

And yuh know my brethren, if we’d simply adhere to those three, simple basic things, ‘rejoicing, praying and giving thanks’ continually, our lives would be amazingly less troublesome and confrontational. 

Now that is exactly what Christ is saying to the disciples, and to us in our Bit. ‘Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.’ 

He’s telling them that up to that time, they hadn’t asked anything of God in His name, but that they should begin doing so, because He is the conduit between mankind and the Creator. You can’t get to the Father except through Him. And if you ask, you’ll receive. 

And isn’t that  the general way things happen? When we want something we ask for it? And hopefully we’ll receive it. Obviously Jesus wasn’t talking about blatantly selfish needs or worldly lusts and sensual pleasures, but stuff that it would please the Father to give us, like our daily bread, and forgiveness of our sins. 

Now yesterday we looked at the ‘joy’ aspect of our Bit, today let’s look a little at the asking and receiving part of it. Jesus said it several times; the most famous being: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt.7:7-8) As always, simple instructions from our Leader. 

And after He had cursed the fig tree and told the disciples about having faith, He reiterated. ‘And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’ Matt.21:22) 

And the last quote from Jesus, after He tells the disciples about His going back to the Father. ‘And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.’ (John 14:13-14) 

The scholars explain: ‘13-14: In my name means “as My agent.” The promise of answered prayer is based on the disciple acting as the agent of Jesus’ will (cf. 16:23-26). It is also linked here especially in the accomplishment of the “greater works,” (vs.12). The promise is for unlimited resources to do the works of God.’ 

However friends, there is one proviso scripture to all of that. Listen to James. ‘Ye lust, and have not: ye kill (murder), and desire to have (covet), and cannot obtain: ye fight and war (battle), yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (worldly pleasures). (James 4:2-3) 

Yeh mih people, that just shows that a lot of the times we ask for the wrong things for the wrong reasons, and the Lord will not grant them to us. We need to ask for the things of God, so we can do His work. 

That brings us to our Tuesday Mantra. Let’s declare it as though we truly mean it. ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen!’ 

Now it’s time to walk that talk! Much LOVE!

…if you don’t ask…you won’t get…simple as that…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 November 2016 2 Timothy 3:17.

15 Nov 2016 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 3:17.    That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works. 

Oh friends, I’d like to open this Tuesday morning with a call to prayer for Scotty Richards, one of our staunchest Scrip-Bit family members.Every time he sees me, he asks me something about the Bit. 

Scotty, one of my church Wardens, is presently in the hospital and I ask us all to kindly remember him in our prayers. Let’s pray that the Lord will heal him of all that’s causing him to be hospitalized right now, and that he will soon return to his normal life. 

Scotty, mih brother, we still need you here with us. So please hurry up and get well. Amen. 

Now here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s titled; ‘The Reason’ and I daresay that it applies to many of us. 

It says: ‘God, why am I so often defeated? Why am I so full of dread and anxiety? Why am I so lamentably weak – So perilously susceptible to temptation? Why am I often inhospitable So intolerant of the needs of others? 

Why am I so undisciplined So restless and dissatisfied? Why do I protest so violently? Above all God Why do I so frequently lose The sense of Your shining Presence? God, why? Why?’  

And God’s answer; short and to the point: ‘Because you pray so little.’ 

Yes friends, that could be the reason why so many negative things keep on assaulting us; our prayer life is just not full enough. We don’t spend enough time communicating with our heavenly Father. 

Remember, we can’t fight off evil or negative situations unless we have the positive power of God working with and for us. And we can only get that power by constant communication with our Creator. As the promise for that poem so rightly tells us: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17) 

Oh my brethren, as followers of Jesus Christ, we should always have an attitude of prayer, though we might not be praying audibly, which will allow the Holy Spirit that indwells each believer, to do a better job of leading and guiding us. 

And today will probably the last day for this renowned Bit. (smile) ‘That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ 

Yes my people, our wise and wonderful God has provided a guidebook for us, in the Bible, and also provided the Holy Spirit to help us walk this earthly pilgrimage. We have been given EVERYTHING we need to be successful in this life. All we have to do now is faithfully follow the instructions and directions. 

Now let’s look at a scripture that corroborates the words of our Bit. The author of Hebrews declares unto us: ‘Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 

Make you perfect (complete) in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ’ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Heb.13:20-21) 

Ah my fellow believers in Christ, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! In His supreme wisdom, He’s provided for all our needs. We lack for nothing, but through His Word and the Holy Spirit we are energized to do all that we need to do. 

Now listen to these words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of (according to) his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputings. 

That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights of the world.’ (Phil.2:13-15)  

And the scholars give us some explanation re those verses. ‘2:14. Since God is producing in the Philippians the willing and doing of His good and perfect will (v.13), there can be no legitimate reason for murmurings and disputings. 

Not only are they forbidden to complain about the difficulties and persecutions that will befall them in carrying out God’s good pleasure, but quarrelling among themselves is also prohibited.’ 

The same things apply to us in these modern times my friends. We have no good reason to murmur or complain, because God has already provided all we need to do His good work. 

‘2:15. If the readers obey the commands of verses 12-14, they will be (become) blameless [i.e., no finger of accusation can justly be pointed at them] and harmless (i.e.’ morally pure). Due to party strife and bickering, this is not true of them. 

As the sons of God…in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), they are to be without rebuke – without incurring spiritual damage. The proper place for God’s people is among the lost. For only in such a position can true Christian witness be borne and influence for the gospel be effectively exerted. 

Yet believers must remain “without rebuke” in that they suffer no moral damage by contact with the unsaved. Then among unbelievers they will shine as lights in the world. As stars are readily noticeable in a dark sky, so healthy Christian lives stand out in testimony among the lost and give credence to one’s witness.’ 

Yes my people, I know it’s seems like a hard row to hoe, but please remember that we have already been granted all we need to succeed in God’s work. Now let’s go home loudly and sincerely declaring our Tuesday mantra. 

As one now: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

And with all of that sizzling in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, let’s go out and shine like stars in the darkness of this evil and ungodly world nuh, and thus glorify our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!

…to shine…to shine…to shine in the darkness…that’s a believer’s bounden duty…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 November 2014 1 Thessalonians 5:17

15 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 5:17.      PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.

And now that it’s Saturday my brethren, what’s on the agenda eh?  I do hope that whatever you have planned includes ample time for God; sufficient time to relieve some of the stress and strain of the past workweek.
 
I’d certainly advise that before you do anything else today, to spend some quiet time with the Father; tell Him your woes and problems, give them to Him, because that’s what He wants; to relieve you of all your heavy burdens and give you His light burden and easy yoke. (Matt.11:28-30)   
 
But please remember to also thank Him for your many blessings… and you do have a lot to be thankful for if you are living in the Western world. You might not think so, but just compare your situation to the billions of others around the world who are living in so much worse situations than yours; so many in real abject poverty.
 
As the saying goes, there’s always someone worse off than us. And if you still want to complain after that, then may the Lord be with you. (smile)
 
Now here’s a little something that caught my fancy from the One Year Book of Bible Promises. It’s simply titled, ‘The Reason.’ ‘God, why am I so often defeated? Why am I so full of dread and anxiety? Why am I so lamentably weak – So perilously susceptible to temptation?
 
Why am I often inhospitable So intolerant of the needs of others? Why am I so undisciplined  So restless and dissatisfied? Why do I protest so violently? Above all, God Why do I so frequently lose The sense of Your Shining Presence? God, why?  Why?’
 
And Friends, the answer is what titillated my spirit when I first read it. ‘Because you pray so little.’
 
Oh my people those five words are filled with so much truth, it’s not funny! We will indeed feel that lost, undisciplined, weak and inhospitable state when our prayer life is not up to scratch! It’s like taking medication for an illness, and for whatever reason we let it peter off or simply stop it. The illness most likely won’t get better, because the body needs whatever is in the medication to right itself.
 
Prayer is like that to the human spirit my brethren. If we don’t do it consistently, then our spirits experience serious upheaval, with little or no joy, peace and LOVE.  And the biblical promise for that upheaval of spirit was ‘Keep on praying.’ That’s the New Life Bible version of our Bit: ‘Pray without ceasing.’
 
I prefer our old fashioned statement though, because I believe it says more, conveys a deeper meaning than just ‘keep on praying,’ which simply assumes that you have been praying. Whereas our Bit is more like a direct command: ‘Pray without ceasing.’  
 
And I think that is brought out in the scholars’ explanation. ‘5:17. The Greek word here rendered without ceasing is used in secular literature to denote a man suffering from an intermittent cough – one that is not continuous, but occurs at intervals. Just as this individual has the tendency to cough, though does not always do so audibly, so the believer ought to remain in the attitude of prayer though not always praying audibly.’
 
Yes my people, a constant stream of communication with our heavenly Father is most beneficial in this earthly life. Here’s how Bruh Paul told it to the Ephesians, after advising them to never be without their spiritual armour. (Eph.6:10-17)
 
‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.’ (Eph.6:18)
 
And the scholars’ tell us: ‘6:18. Praying is grammatically linked to “stand” in verse 4. Without prayer God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Prayer is indispensable. Always means “on every occasion,” that is, when Satan attacks.
 
In the Spirit signifies that with the Spirit’s help such prayer for divine aid is to be made. Watching thereunto means “being vigilant in this very matter” of prayer. They are to pray not just for themselves but also for all saints; spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’
 
All of that is oh so true my people! Prayer is indispensable! As believers, we simply can’t do without it. And the Holy Spirit was gifted to us to help us with prayer, which ought to be made both for ourselves and all other believers.
 
Remember, we are individuals on one level, but on another, we are also one body in Christ Jesus, and we sink or swim together! That’s something I don’t think we consider enough in these modern times, because individuality is touted around the world as being so important.
 
Anyway Friends, let’s close with the statement after our Bit; another positive one that again reads more like a command. ‘In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’ (1 Thess.5:18)
 
That too my people is indispensable for all true believers! The importance of giving thanks can never be underestimated.
 
And the scholars explain that verse thus: ‘5:18. In every event or circumstance (thing) the Christian is to give thanks to God for the good He can bring out of the event, even should the event be unpleasant. The constant attitude of prayer, mentioned in verse 17, will help the believer maintain gratitude in the face of adversity.’
 
And that’s gospel truth Friends; constant prayer will help us with constant giving of thanks, even in the worse of situations. So let’s get a move on now, let’s pray with a thankful attitude! That is the wisdom of the ages! Much LOVE!
 
…prayer and the giving of thanks…are inseparable entities in a true believer’s life…