divine help | SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 October 2021 Matthew 12:37.

29 Oct 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a gossip betrays a confidence, a trustworthy person keeps a secret, backsliders, biblical difference between gossip slander, by thy words thou shalt be condemned, by thy words thou shalt be justified, Covid-19 virus, defeats God's purpose, divine help, embrace your love and compassion, every idle word that men speak, Friday chant, God in His awesome faithfulness, in the day of judgement, LOVE, pandemic, Pastor Jeff Adams, social media, spreading false information, they shall give account for, ungodly living, unrest in the streets, wake up and smell the coffee

Matthew 12:37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by words thou shalt be condemned.

Oh friends, the ole fella is at a loss for exciting words to begin today’s message. Would you believe it? (smile) Well, I guess these things happen at times to the best of us, but I’m not worried, because I know that in His awesome faithfulness, the good Lord will soon intervene with some divine help since it’s His word and gospel I’m trying to spread, and He has faithfully promised to help all those who work sincerely in His name.

What a sentence! (smile) But it’s all the truth, and that’s all that really matters. How something is put down doesn’t matter as much as what is put down. The thing must be positive, edifying and true, otherwise it defeats God’s purpose.

That recalls the story of one person wanting to tell another some news about a friend. But the listener stopped him in his tracks and asked if the news was true? The teller said he wasn’t sure. Then the listener asked if the news was something good. The teller answered no, it wasn’t good news. Then the listener asked if it would benefit him. The teller said he didn’t think so. Then the listener said he didn’t want to hear the news about his friend if it was bad, didn’t benefit him and was probably untrue.

That’s how we believers ought to operate as much as we possibly can. We are not perfect and will occasionally find ourselves gossiping about things we’re not sure of or listening to stuff that doesn’t benefit anybody. But we cannot make that kind of behaviour habitual. And here I am going to pull a few excerpts from a sermon on the ‘Biblical Difference Between Gossip and Slander’ by Pastor Jeff Adams found on the yelmonline.com website.

Pastor Adams begins: ‘Here are two practical statements: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends” (11:13; 16:28, NIV).’ There he is quoting the words of Cousin Sol from Prov. 11:13 and 16:28, as translated by the New International Version of the Bible.

But just for comparison we will also provide the king James Version which we use. The first one reads: ‘A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.’ (Prov. 11:13) And the second one says: ‘A froward (perverse) man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief (good) friends.’ (Prov. 16:28)

Then Pastor Adams goes on to specify that ‘Biblically, gossip is sharing information that ought not be shared. It may or may not be true.’ Meanwhile ‘Slander is spreading false information. We need to understand that one can be gossiping and slandering at the same time, and one can be gossiping and not slandering at the same time. In other words, gossip can be true and slander is false. Some information is nobody’s business to share. So what if you have the dirt on somebody else? Why is it OK for you to spread other people’s personal and/or private information?’

Then he quotes Jesus’ advice in Matthew; ‘But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by words thou shalt be condemned.’ (Matt. 12:36-37) And yuh better believe that in these days of easy communication, of much slander and gossip, many of us, including those in the church, will be answering for a lot of idle and untrue words come the judgement day.

Oh my people, it’s woeful, the amount of false and slanderous information that’s been spread like wildfire today, especially over the social media network. And don’t fool yuh fat (fool yourself), we believers also indulge a lot in the slackness. People’s lives, careers, self-esteem and what have you are being systematically destroyed by others who don’t care what they do to their fellow man. That’s mindful of Bruh Paul’s words in his second missive to the church at Corinth where there was apparently much feuding and false information being spread in his absence.

He therefore writes: ‘Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would (wish), and that I shall be found unto (by) you such as ye would (wish) not: lest there be debates (contentions), envyings, wraths, strifes (selfish ambitions), backbitings, whisperings, swellings (conceits), tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail (mourn) many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness (licentiousness) which they have committed.’ (2 Cor. 12:19-21)

And those my friends, would also be very appropriate words to write about our current society today. If Bruh Paul thought he saw or imagined reckless, ungodly living back then, his heart would certainly burst with utter disappointment at today’s dismal standards. Unfortunately my brethren, all most of us can do is to stand strong and do our best in our little corner of the world. So please let’s do that nuh, for every li’l bit of goodness and mercy helps to undo and discourage evil and strife.

But together, as a corporate entity, Christ’s church, we can do a whole lot, and it all begins with prayer. Therefore, let’s take our problems to God in prayer, through our Friday Chant, as He has asked us to. As one strong voice. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.

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

And as always, let’s remember that if we don’t keep our promises, God won’t answer our prayers the way we desire. Much LOVE!

…our words are more important to our destiny…than many of us realize…so please be careful with them…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 October 2021 1 Corinthians 12:14.

02 Oct 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a mirage, a wonderful and faithful God, all receive the same basic reward - eternal life, all that glitters is not gold, be bond or free, be Jews or Gentiles, become someone worth becoming, biblical context, big or bigger isn't always good or better, come unto me all ye that labour, create your future from your future, differences of administrations (ministries), divine help, don't let your past dictate your future, drink into one Spirit, figment of our imagination, for the prize of the high calling in God, given to every man to profit withal (all), highway parking lots, I press toward the mark, I will give you rest, Jesus is the Way Maker, Jesus makes a way where there is no way, Jesus' kingdom -the only one that matters, LOVE, many be called but few are chosen, our eyes play tricks on us, raise your sights and see the possibilities, reach forward to Christ, set worthwhile goals, the body is not one member but many, the first shall be last and the last first, the Great Invitation of Jesus, the light at the end of a dark tunnel, the manifestation of the Spirit, the parable of the vineyard workers, there are diversities of gifts, we must understand our past, you cannot depend on your eyes, your imagination is out of focus

1 Corinthians 12:14. For the body is not one member, but many.

And then it was Saturday, that day when we breathe a huge sigh of relief because there is no work to go to. No need to get up early and face the rush hour traffic, or rather the highway parking lots, as happens both morning and evening during the work week. Today is just a day to awaken late, then simply lie on the couch and relax some more. (smile) That’s why we call it, lazy Saturday.

Unfortunately though, some of us don’t have that luxury, we still must get up and work; like me. On a Saturday morning, I have to take the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week and try to put them in some sort of biblical context. However, since we have such a wonderful and faithful God, I do have some divine help to accomplish it. In fact, I could not do it without that help from on high.

So, let’s invoke that help right now nuh, (smile) as we look at the first quote, which tells us: ‘You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.’ Now that seems like a fair comment, for our eyes do play tricks on us according to the focus of our imagination. It’s like the thirsty man in the desert who believes he sees and oasis in the distance, but it’s only a figment of his imagination, a mirage. He’s concentrating on water, and his eyes reflect that concentration. So sometimes we have to be careful about what we perceive with the eyes, for as they say, all that glitters is not gold. (smile)

Then there’s this quote: ‘Create your future from your future, not your past.’ Now that’s a tough one. We always say not to let our past dictate our future, but that’s much easier said than done. However, we can never assemble a good present or future until we understand our past. That’s the purpose of our past; to understand our present and prepare our future along better lines.

We obviously should not let an unfortunate past stop us from having a good future, but we need to learn from that past, see our mistakes and don’t repeat them. Bring them to Jesus and lay them at the foot of His cross, so that He can help us to do better. As He so sincerely offers in His Great Invitation: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28) And if we have had a wonderful past, why change it up much eh? Just tailor it, obviously with Jesus’ help, to make it fit our better future! (smile)

That brings us to this quote: ‘You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of achieving it you become someone worth becoming.’ Now there’s some truth to that, but my query is to become someone worth becoming isn’t necessarily a factor of size. Yes, we always ought to set worthwhile goals, desire to reach higher, but worthwhile doesn’t mean it always has to be big. They must get us out of our comfort zone, but they must also be realistic given our circumstances and level of achievement.

And in Jesus’ kingdom size doesn’t always mean more important. The lowest worker is just as important as the highest, the one who does a lot as the one who does little. In Matthew chapter 20, Jesus tells the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Some began working early and others much later, but they all received the same pay. Obviously those that worked harder and longer thought it unfair. At the end of the parable, Jesus tells them: ‘So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.’ (Matt. 20:16)

And I like how this article from the gotquestions.org explains it. ‘The most direct interpretation, based on the content of the parable, is that all believers, no matter how long or how hard they work during this lifetime, will receive the same basic reward: eternal life. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43), whose life of service was limited to a moment of repentance and confession of faith in Christ, received the same reward of eternal life as did Timothy, who served God for years. Of course, Scripture also teaches that there are different rewards in heaven for different services, but the ultimate reward of eternal life will be given to all equally, on the basis of God’s grace in Christ Jesus.’

So, size of goal, or seat of power doesn’t really matter in Jesus’ kingdom. And His kingdom is the only one that really matters. Remember this world and all therein will eventually pass away, when the new heaven and the new earth of Jesus comes. And that leads us to the following quote: ‘You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.’

There we go again, that emphasis on big things! Oh, we must have good ideas at the back of our minds and work on the small things that will eventually lead us in the direction of those ideas. But I seem to have this problem with big, because big or bigger isn’t always good or better. What we as believers in Christ need to do is find out God’s plan and purpose for our lives. That’s where we should all begin, because not all of us are destined to have big goals or big ministries, but all the jobs are just as important.

It’s like you need a janitor to clean a building where others who might seem higher and better can work. But the janitor’s job is just as necessary in the overall scheme of things, for the supposedly higher and better ones can’t work if the place is dirty. It’s also like how Bruh Paul describes the body of Christ in terms of the human body. The different parts all have different jobs, but they are all essential for the survival of the body.

He tells the Corinthians: ‘For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, and are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Sprit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond (slaves) or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.’ (1 Cor. 12:12-14)

And likewise, within the body of Christ different members have been assigned different gifts, that cause them to do different jobs. And as Bruh Paul explains earlier in that chapter: ‘Now there are diversities (various kinds) of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations (ministries), but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations (activities), but it is the same God which worketh all (things) in all.’ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (all).’ (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

So in the long run, the size of what you do for Christ isn’t as important as how you do it. You can have a big ministry and do it woefully, as so many are doing these days, or a small one and doing it well. Christ will certainly appreciate the last more than the first. And then there’s this last quote, which I think wraps up things very nicely. ‘No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities – always see them, for they’re always there.’

And that’s the gospel truth if you are a true believer in Christ Jesus! Regardless of how dark or bad things might look, with Jesus beside you and His Holy Spirit dwelling within you, there are always opportunities for improvement. There is always the proverbial light at the end of the dark tunnel, for Jesus is the Way Maker! He always makes a way where there seems to be no way. That’s why our sights should always be set on heaven, be looking up to Jesus! As Bruh Paul declared in his epistle to the church at Philippi: ‘I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 3:14)

Yes friends, whatever God has called us to do, be it seemingly high or low, let’s do it with diligence and excellence, for that’s what He expects of us. Much LOVE!

…let’s ignore all that is past…and instead…reach forward to Christ…who is the Way…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 September 2021 Ecclesiastes 4:9.

13 Sep 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a merciful forgiving gracious God, a more fruitful way to live is alongside others, a threefold cord is not quickly broken, bereave my soul of good, crosswalk.com website, divine help, faithfully promised to hear our prayers, for whom do I labour, forgive us and heal our land, good relationship with God and man, he hath not another to help him up, how can one be warm alone, humble servants, I saw vanity under the sun, if two lie together they have heat, it is a sore travail, it's all about unity, Jehovah Rapha, life's difficult pathway, LOVE, mass confusion, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, no man is an island, seriously disobeyed your word, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, strong faith in Christ, Tamara Chamberlain, the God who heals, the one will lift up his fellow, the truth is the truth, they have a good reward for their labour, turn from our evil ways, two are better than one, two heads are better than one, unity between man and man and God, walk in unity, we have all sinned, wise guidance and direction, woe to his that is alone when he falleth

Ecclesiastes 4:9. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

Come down Monday, come on down! Let us walk in unity along life’s convoluted and ofttimes difficult pathway. For only together can we be victorious. Alone we will most surely be defeated. That’s why the wise author of Ecclesiastes, who simply refers to himself as the Preacher, but whom most scholars believe is Cousin Sol, tells us about two being better than one, and three, an even stronger cord.

Listen to these words of everlasting wisdom. ‘Then I returned, and I saw vanity (futility) under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second (a companion); yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he. For whom do I labour, and bereave (deprive) my soul of good? This is also vanity (futility), yea, it is a sore travail (grievous toil).’ (Eccl. 4:7-8) And is that ever the gospel truth! It is a useless, futile task when you are labouring by yourself for only yourself!

However, the Preacher wisely continues: ‘Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow (companion): but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.’ (Eccl. 4:9-10) Now that’s not rocket science friends, but mere common sense; two people working and walking in harmony and unity are always better than one, because each can help the other when they fall, either literally or figuratively.

But when you’re on your lonesome, it’s often impossible to get up if you fall. Just goes to show that we all need help to live this simple, yet complicated life. As the wisdom of the world says; no man is an island, he can’t do it all himself. But the preacher is not done yet. (smile) He maintains his claim of togetherness being oh so important: ‘Again if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?’ (Eccl. 4:11) Now that’s a very good question. And if anyone can answer it, please let me know. (smile)

Meanwhile, the Preacher is just warming up to his argument: ‘And if one prevail against him (though one may be overpowered by another), two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’ (Eccl. 4:12). Mama Mia! What incredible words of wisdom! So life is not completely useless, futile or meaningless after all! That is, if you are in worthwhile company.

As the scholars explain: ‘4:7-12. The toil of the miser is futile, especially when he toils only for himself. On the other hand, two are better than one because they have a good return (vs. 9); they can help each other (vs. 10); they can provide mutual warmth (vs. 11); and they double their strength (or triple it, as in the case of three friends (vs. 12).’

Now, here are some interesting insights on the subject from commentator Tamara Chamberlain, found on the crosswalk.com website. She says: ‘One of the unique things about Ecclesiastes is that its wisdom is beneficial regardless of your belief in God. The wisdom shown in these four verses can be agreed with, even if you don’t consider yourself a follower of Jesus. There are many other non-Christian proverbs that support the wisdom stated in these verses. Proverbs like, “two heads are better than one” or “no man is an island.”

The writer of Ecclesiastes penned these truths thousands of years before the similar proverbs we commonly know today. It truly is amazing to see the way the truths revealed in Scripture are not only true because we find them in the Bible, but because the truth is the truth… The principle of two being better than one can be applied to any partnership or aspect of life. To be alone isn’t necessarily seen as negative, but when you add another person to your life the situation is usually better. One of the keywords in these verses is “better.” The writer is stating that a better way, a more fruitful way to live life is alongside other people…

The statement of two being better than one is true in many different life circumstances all across time… From the very beginning, God created us to be in relationship with others. Not only are we to live in relationship with other people but with God as well. The image is explained in Ecclesiastes 4:12) “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” The three-strand cord is understood to be unity between yourself, God, and another person.’

Yes friends, it’s all about unity…with God and with each other! And that’s what our world, our church and our lives are sadly lacking in these turbulent and ever so dangerous times. And the only way to fix it is by sincerely attempting to grow that unity between you, me, and God again. And we can begin to close that needless and foolish rift, right now, by coming together and raising up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to Almighty God, and acknowledging His sovereignty over the universe.

So as one sincere voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.

Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. 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!’

And as always, the answers to our prayers will be determined by the way we keep the promises we make to Almighty God! Much LOVE!

…it’s only in good relationship with God and man…can our earthly purpose be truly fulfilled…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2021 Numbers 23:19a.

16 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a merciful forgiving gracious God, divine help, Dr. Charles Stanley, God cannot lie, God is not man that he should lie, God is truth, grab the baton, hath he spoken and shall he not make it good, humble servants, I am the Lord I change not, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, Jehovah Rapha, keeping our promises, leave all the consequences to Him, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, neither the son of man that he should repent, obey God, right motives of our hearts, show this evil world, sincere repentance, stubborn and unrepentant heart, take the bull by the horns, the God who heals, the Immutability of God, them's the breaks, thoughts of peace and not of evil, thy hardness and impenitent heart, to give you an expected end, turn from our evil ways, wise guidance and direction, ye sons of Jacob

Numbers 23:19a. God is not man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:

These weeks passing too quickly for me yes friends! We are already into the middle of August, and we just finish celebrating the 1^st of August long holiday weekend. (smile) That means fall, or autumn is just around the corner. But them’s the breaks, time waits on no one, and we must therefore conclude that this Monday in the middle of August is another excellent opportunity for us to take the bull by the horns, grab the baton and run with it, put into motion, the amazing plan that our wonderful God has designed for us from time everlasting!

And yes, we have used a lot of clichés back there, but yuh know what, things become clichés because they are either the truth, or help us to understand the truth better. And the greatest truth in this universe is the Word of God found in His holy book, the Bible, our blueprint, our guide, our map for earthly living! So when we read in it, things like: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11)

We know, we are totally assured that we are hearing the honest to goodness truth., because it comes from the Word of our God. Our Creator has good plans for each one of us, plans He created us to fulfill. And you are even further empowered to believe His Word, when it says: ‘God is not man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Num. 23:19)

What a confidence builder that verse is my brethren! Our God has no need to lie, because He is omnipotent, possesses the power and the ability to do whatever He says He is going to do! As Jesus said to His disciples, talking about a camel passing through the eye of a needle: ‘With men, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.’ (Matt. 19:26) And we need to remember that most salient fact my people. Nothing is too big or too small for our God to do! He can do anything and everything! Therefore, there’s no situation He cannot put us into or take us out of.

But I want to go back to that verse from Numbers about God not lying, because the scholars offer an interesting explanation of it. ‘23:19. The immutability (unchangeability) of God is stated. The word repent is parallel to lie and is coloured in tone by this very association. Here His repenting is related to falsehood. The concept of the truth of Yahweh is related to immutability (His unchanging nature). Since God is truth, He does not lie; in fact, He cannot lie: He is unchanging. God is utterly different from man. Something that comes far too easily for many men is impossible for Almighty God. He cannot lie (cf. Is. 31:2; 51:6,8; Jer. 4:28; Mal. 3:6).’

Oh friends, those are some good verses for you to look up, I just did, and they are all interesting, revolving around the Lord’s unchanging nature and the keeping of His word. But I will only spoon feed us the last one from Malachi, (smile) which we all ought to know anyway. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And we better had be thankful for that yes my people, because just like the Lord’s mercy and LOVE are overwhelming, so is His wrath, and you definitely don’t want to feel it.

And His wrath is not just vengeful anger, but as Romans 2:5-6 says: ‘But after thy hardness (stubborn) and impenitent (unrepentant) heart treasurest up (stores up) unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God (when His righteous judgement will be revealed); Who will render to every man according to his deeds.’ (Rom. 2:5-6)

So wrath is basically God’s justice for disobedience and thus rounds out His basic attributes of Mercy, LOVE and Justice, or as one commentator asserts: ‘A God who didn’t have wrath towards sin would not be a God of LOVE, because how could a God of LOVE allow sin to go unpunished?’ Good question that my people. And believe me, it will not! However, our ever-LOVING God, has also ‘provided a way of redemption; faith in the atoning blood of his Son.’

Anyway, it’s the start of our work week and many of us have fears, anxieties and concerns, re the state of our lives and our world, weighing heavily on our souls and spirits, so let’s take this opportunity to carry them to the throne of grace in prayer nuh. As one strong, confident but humble voice, let’s declare our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.

‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.

And as always, the answer to our prayers depends on keeping our promises and the right motives of our hearts. Much LOVE!

…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him… (Dr. Charles Stanley)

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2021 Daniel 7:14a.

09 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a kingdom that all people nations and languages, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth, before they spring forth, bursting with faith and confidence, chocked full of truth, divine help, go ye therefore and teach all nations, I tell you of them, Jehovah Rapha, LOVE, mass confusion, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, negative situations, seek your face, sharing Jesus, sincere repentance, the Ancient of days, the Bible - the best selling book ever, the God who heals, the Great Commission, the second coming of Christ, the Son of man, the triumphant living Lord, there was given him dominion and glory, turning from our evil ways, you are a merciful forgiving and gracious God

Daniel 7:14a. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom that all people (peoples), nations, and languages, should serve him:

Time to get a move on friends, that important but much disliked day called Monday is here! And why is it important, you sneer? Because it is the first day of the work week, and the first day after our Sunday worship, when our hearts are still bursting with faith and confidence, that we have a chance to share Jesus with a wide body of people, out there in the working world. And sharing Jesus is one of the most important of our duties as Christians, and earthly ambassadors for Jesus.

Remember some of His last words to the disciples: `All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all 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. 28:18-20) We call those instructions the Great Commission, which means we’ve been entrusted with a big job.

Hear how the scholars explain it nuh. ‘The triumphant, living Lord sends forth His ambassadors to proclaim His gospel throughout all the world. The Great Commission is not just an order but a pronouncement of victory (mundus regium Christi) by the risen Saviour through His disciples. All power or authority is now in the hands of Christ, in heaven and on the earth. On the basis of that authority and power the Christian disciple is to carry out the Great Commission of the church.’

And that’s why we are to be up and about our Father’s business this Monday morning! No slouching, laziness or procrastination, for with each passing minute, the time of Christ’s return is getting shorter, and there’s much to be done before He comes back. Now here is an interesting instance when we can determine the authenticity and magnificence of God’s Word as being all from the same source and is like a single thread woven through a whole blanket. We are talking about one of the visions of the four beasts that the prophet Daniel saw in Babylon, centuries before Jesus came.

He says: ‘I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom that all people (peoples), nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.’ (Dan. 7:13-14)

Yes mih bredrin, the Word might have been written by different people, but it is still one cohesive document, because its basic source was the same throughout, the Lord God Jehovah. And thus, we can see how things were prophesied long before they even took place. As the Lord so rightly says about the coming of Christ, through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth, I tell you of them.’ (Is. 42:9) Oh, what a mighty God is our God!

But turning back to those two verses from Daniel, here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘7:13. The Son of man who came to the Ancient of days is the Son of God approaching God the Father. Evidently, Jesus took the title ‘Son of man,’ which was His favourite way of referring to Himself in the Gospels, from this passage.’ ‘7:14. The commencement of Christ’s everlasting dominion will take place at His second coming (cf. Matt. 24:30; 25:31; Rev. 11:15).’

Now hear how Jesus Himself describes the coming of the Son of man, that Second Coming. ‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect (chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’ (Matt. 24:29-31)

And the scholars tell us: ‘24:29-31. The reference to the events immediately after the tribulation, such as the sun being darkened and the stars falling, refer to the cataclysmic events that will accompany Christ’s millennial kingdom on earth.’ Yes friends, it definitely won’t be a nice time to be without Christ as your Lord and Saviour. And the problem there is that things can get moving at any time. And as Jesus later says: ‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.’ (Matt. 24:36) So we just have to be prepared from now, for whenever that fateful day comes.

And if we are serious about the whole thing, it means we have to get in God’s good graces asap, and stay in them too. And the best way to begin that process is by going to Him in prayer, the method He devised for communication between Him and us. Let’s therefore offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn which tells the tale of our troubled world.

All together now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.

And what the Lord’s looking for from us now is sincere repentance and a turning from our evil ways. All our hopes and dreams are now in our hands my people! Much LOVE!

…the Bible is the best-selling book ever, for a reason…it is chocked full of the truth…God’s Word…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 July 2021 John 15:5b.

12 Jul 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a merciful forgiving gracious God, abide in me and I in you, according to the riches of his glory, Christ as the catalyst and moving agent, Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, divine help, except it abide in the vine, forgive us and heal our land, give us wise guidance, humble servants, Jehovah Rapha, LOVE, mass confusion, more than we can ask or imagine, promised to hear and answer our prayers, right motives of our hearts, rooted and grounded in love, seek your face, sincere repentance, stay strong in Christ, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, the Christian can conquer sin, the God who heals, the successful Christian life, the union with Christ, the uniqueness of the Christian experience, to do exceedingly abundantly, unto him that is able to do, we can do anything through Jesus, without me ye can do nothing

John 15:5b. …for without me ye can do nothing.

Don’t look now friends, but it’s that big day, Monday, the first day of the new work week! (smile) And since some of those pandemic restrictions have been lifted, I guess more of us will be going back out to work today – some joyfully, others sadly, as their extended holiday is over. But let’s remember that whatever the circumstances, we can handle them successfully if we have the Holy Spirt of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ dwelling within us. That’s one of the many differences and improvements between believers and the infidel; with Jesus, we can do any and everything, through Him who strengthens us. Give Him thanks and praise my people!

And how do we get and stay strong in Christ? Listen to His immortal words on the subject, to the disciples. ‘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.’ (John 15:4) How sweet is that eh mih bredrin! That’s how we get and stay strong in Christ. And if you didn’t get it the first time, He goes on to further explain. ‘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 15:5)

Wow! How direct and to the point is Jesus eh! Unless we stick with Him, we cannot do anything! And that’s the gospel truth my people! It’s only with Christ as the catalyst and moving agent in our life that we are able to do anything truly worthwhile down here on planet earth.

And the scholars give us some useful info on that verse, re the Union with Christ.‘15:5. The uniqueness of the Christian experience results from the union of Christ and the believer. This is expressed in Scripture as Christ being in the believer and the believer in Christ. Ten times Paul uses the Greek preposition sun (“together”) to describe this relationship. Believers were crucified (Gal. 2:20), dead (Col. 2:20), buried (Rom. 6:4), quickened or made alive (Eph. 2:1-5; Col. 2:13), raised (Col. 3:1; Eph. 2:6), seated (Eph. 2:6), and glorified (Rom. 8:17) together with Christ.

Illustration: Jesus used the image of the vine and its branches to describe His union with the believer. Application: On the basis of this union, the apostle Paul showed how the successful Christian life can be opened with four key words in Romans 6: know (vs. 6), reckon (vs. 11), yield (vs. 13), and obey (vs. 17). The Christian can conquer sin because Christ lives in him (Gal. 2:20). (First Ref. John 7:37-38; Primary Ref. John 15:1-5; cf. 1 John 5:13).’

Well, there you have it friends, our Bible Study for today! (smile) Lots of Scriptures for us to look up. And please do look them up, for it will be to our benefit, as they will only enhance our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word. It’s all about inner growth or spiritual maturity my people. And that takes us to Bruh Paul’s prayer for just that in his missive to the church at Ephesus.

‘That He (Christ) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye , being rooted and grounded in LOVE, May be able to comprehend (understand) with all saints what is the breadth (width), and length, and depth and height; And to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ (Eph. 3:16-19)

Oh Mama, Mama! What a powerful prayer! And the scholars explain it all thus: ‘3:16-19. In these verses Paul makes three prayer requests for the addressees: (1) That they would be strengthened with might by His Spirit (vs. 16), that is, that they be divinely enabled to successfully live the Christian life. (2) That the readers be able to comprehend…the LOVE of Christ, that is to better understand the enormous LOVE Christ has for them. And (3) that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, that is, that the life, character, and virtues of God Himself may be fully developed in them.’

Now that does sound like a big programme for believers to undertake, but Bruh Paul knew what he was doing. Listen to how he ends that passage nuh. ‘Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Eph. 3:20-21) Yes friends, Bruh Paul was not making those prayer requests for too much, because he was asking the One who could do ever so much more than we can ask or think; that’s Almighty God.

So please don’t think that you can’t do anything because it’s too big for you. It might seem so, but it is definitely not too big for our God; the One who created us and still LOVES us dearly, despite all our faults and failures. That means we can go to Him right now with our problems and ask for His awesome help. So as one strong, confident, but humble voice, let’s offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn.

But let me warn us, that we won’t get our desires unless we sincerely turn away from our evil ways and seek God with right motives in our hearts! Much LOVE!

…we can never sell God short…for He is bigger than anything we can ask or imagine…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 April 2021 Psalm 95:6.

05 Apr 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: consequences to sin, declare his glory among the heathen, disobedience to God's laws, divine help, foretells trouble, forgive us, governments not trusted to handle pandemic, heal our land, hear our prayer, if ye will hear his voice, Jehovah Rapha, let us kneel before the Lord our maker, lose the trust of their citizens, mass confusion, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, o come let us worship and bow down, out of bondage in Egypt, pandemic lockdown, show forth his salvation, sin, sincere repentance, sincerely seek your face, sing unto the Lord a new song, stand up like faithful soldiers, the evil one, the God who heals, the Lord reigneth, the sheep of his hand, the wages of sin is death, too few have too much, too many have too little, turn from our evil ways, wandered in the wilderness, we are the people of his pasture, wise guidance and direction

Psalm 95:6. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Once more unto the breach dear friends; once more on to a brand new Monday morning, in this most recent and very controversial pandemic lockdown! It’s not surprising that there are so many varying opinions on the status of the lockdown. Some are for it the way it is, some want it even tighter, some want it loser, and some don’t want it at all. And I guess a lot of the opinions boil down to money, the economic factor. If you’re not working, or your business is closed, then you obviously want to get some livelihood going.

Meanwhile, if you’re a medical proponent, you possible are more concerned with saving lives. It’s a fine balancing act, indeed a most difficult one, and whatever the governments do, many people will be displeased. And many governments are not doing such a great job, in fact some are making an utter mess of the situation. In a recent poll it was found that at the beginning of the pandemic, the citizens were very trusting of the governments to do a good job, but a year into it, they no longer trust the governments to handle it properly.

And when governments lose the trust of their citizens, that almost always foretells trouble. And we’re indeed seeing a lot of chaos and confusion all over the world right now, due to the handling of the pandemic. So what shall we do to break the stranglehold that this Corona virus has on us eh? You all know my take on the situation; namely that sin and disobedience to God’s laws are too rampant in our world today. Evil is the number one force in the world, instead of LOVE! Selfishness abounds instead of togetherness.

This means that Almighty God is no longer respected, valued and worshipped to the extent that He should be. We are more concerned with getting rid of Him from our society than placing Him on a pinnacle of glory. Look at the many sad tales of hunger, famine, economic devastation, strife and all the other negative situations in an overall wealthy and prosperous world. It should never be as bad as it currently is my people. The problem is that too few have too much and too many have too little, and until we straighten out that horrible inequity, our world will always be in a state of turmoil.

But how do we do that, you ask? As far as I am concerned, the answer is very simple; return to sincerely worshipping and obeying the God of our forefathers; the One who created us and still LOVES us, but will not put up with our disobedience and abominable sinful behaviour forever. But we know that the evil one and his henchmen don’t want that, for it will mean losing their current control, and they will fight tooth and nail to retain it. But we Christians need to spring into battle right now, if we’re to make a difference before it’s too late.

And how do we do that? We can begin by doing what the psalmist says in Psalm 96 – A call to praise God. ‘O Sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth (proclaim the good news of) his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen (gentiles), his wonders among all people.’ (Ps. 96:1-3)

Now that’s the first move friends; spreading God’s word and His glory over the land. And if we want our efforts to succeed, we can’t be bashful, afraid, or ashamed of doing it, but be strong and stand up like faithful soldiers in Christ’s army, and fight the good fight, keep the faith, like Bruh Paul told Timothy. (2 Tim. 4:7)

And the psalmist continues his plea for unity and sense of purpose. ‘For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear (tremble) before him all the earth. Say among the heathen (gentiles) that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be (is firmly) established that it shall not be moved (shaken): he shall judge the people righteously.’ (Ps. 96: 4-10)

Now that’s the kind of thing believers ought to be doing, not sitting on our fannies, afraid of the evil one, and enjoying the sinful pleasures of the world. We desperately need to do as Psalm 95 tells us. ‘O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand (under his care). Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart, as in the provocation (rebellion), and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted (tried) me, proved me, and saw my work.’ (Ps. 95:6-9)

Friends, we are being just as stupid as the Israelites were back in the wilderness, trying and testing God with their rebellion and disobedience and surly complaining, forgetting what he had just done for them, bringing them out of four hundred years of bondage in Egypt. And they paid a hefty price for it; wandering aimlessly in the wilderness for forty years, until all the generation that had come out of Egypt were dead, except Joshua and Caleb. And we are running the same foolish, ungrateful joke right now my brethren by trying to move God out of our society.

I can assure us though, that the consequences will not be pretty, for there are always harsh consequences to stubborn and willful disobedience and sin. So what better time, than this Easter Monday, a day after Christ’s Resurrection, for us to get smart, realize our serious failings and call out to our God, our Maker, for the divine help that only He can give. Therefore, in strong and confident, but humble voice, let’s offer up our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in sincere prayer.

‘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 fellow believers, we have to go out and show that sincere repentance and obedience in all our dealings, so the Lord can positively answer our prayer. Much LOVE!

…the wages of sin is death…only in and with Jesus…can you avoid it…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 March 2021 1 Corinthians 10:13a.

15 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a follower of Jesus, a merciful forgiving gracious God, all sinned, but god is faithful, called unto the fellowship of his son, come short in obedience, communion with one another, divine help, ease our suffering, for brethren to dwell together in unity, get by on our own steam, God will not allow more temptation than we can bear, handle them with a good attitude, heal our land, hear and answer our prayers, how good and how pleasant it is, Isreal's disobedient attitude, Jehovah Rapha, jesus christ our lord, live the abundant life, make a way to escape, mature from expereince, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, no fate bars the path of retreat, pandemic times, sincere repentance, singing the Monday Blues, such as is common to man, the doctrine of free-will, the God who heals, there hath no temptationtaken you, turn from our evil ways, union with Christ, when we humble ourselves, you need not be hopless or despairing

1 Corinthians 10:13a. There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful,

Come on friends, it’s time to stop singing the new work week Monday Blues and rise to the level that Jesus desires of us. That means, be the circumstances rough or smooth, our attitude will be bright and positive and Christ-like! Awright! So that’s not so easy to do, especially in these pandemic times, but what else yuh going to do eh? Will a bad, sour or resentful attitude help any? No, it will just make matters worse. And besides, if you’re a follower of Jesus, then you need to have the attitude that He had, and try to behave like He would behave…And that’s certainly not sad, miserable, sour or resentful!

Oh precious people, it’s not that we don’t need Jesus in the good times, for then we can probably get by on our own steam, though not live the abundant life He promised. But it’s in the times that we’re caught between a rock and a hard place, damned if we do and damned if we don’t, like now, that we truly need Him most. For ofttimes, He is the only one who can extricate us from those painful and hurting situations. And even if He chooses, for whatever reason, not to extricate us from them, then He will enable us, give us the wherewithal to handle them with a good attitude, and thus grow and mature from the experience.

Remember Bruh Paul’s warning of Israel being a good example of a disobedient attitude in the wilderness. ‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Cor. 10:12-13) Now that’s a very important scripture friends, and a very misunderstood one.

And I like this explanation from Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, found on the Bible Hub website. ‘(13) There hath no temptation taken you.–What is meant by a “temptation common to man” (or rather, suited to man) is explained further on as a temptation which one is “able to bear.” From the warning and exhortation of the previous verse the Apostle passes on to words of encouragement, “You need not be hopeless or despairing.” God permits the temptation by allowing the circumstances which create temptation to arise, but He takes care that no Fate bars the path of retreat.

With each temptation he makes a way to escape from it. And that is so, must be so, because God is faithful. The state of salvation to which God has called us would be a delusion if there were an insuperable difficulty to our continuing in it. We have in this verse, perhaps, the most practical and therefore the clearest exposition to be found of the doctrine of free-will in relation to God’s overruling power. God makes an open road, but then man himself must walk in it. God controls circumstances, but man uses them. That is where his responsibility lies.’

So God provides all the tools, there are always options for us, but it’s our responsibility to find them and walk in them. Oh friends, the basic idea of the epistle is that God is faithful, as Bruh Paul states in the beginning. ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1:9)

As the scholars explain. ‘1:9. Unto the fellowship of his son: The term fellowship includes both union and communion. The Corinthian believers had been brought into union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, this great truth implies that they had been brought into communion with one another. Here in a nutshell is the theme of this epistle.’

Yes my people, it’s all about fellowship, about fellowship with God and with each other. But are we living in true fellowship with either God or each other eh? Sadly, the answer is no, not nearly enough as required. And that brings to mind these appropriate words of Bruh David from Psalm 133 – The joy of Brotherhood. ‘How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ‘ (Ps. 133:1) And that friends is the basic reason why our world is in such a mess; we’re not living in true fellowship with either God or man.

So, no wonder all our efforts to clean it up are failing. It’s only when we get serious about our relationship with God and our fellow man are we ever going to have a harmonious world. So let’s take that first step right now nuh, by going to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and letting Him know that at long last we are serious about changing our sinful ways. 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!’

So the ball is in our court now people. We need to show the Lord that we are serious about what we just prayed, and we can only do so with changed behaviour. And until we do, nothing much will improve. Much LOVE!

…it’s time to throw aside unprofitable sin…and dwell together in unity…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 March 2021 James 1:17.

02 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: accept God's free and wonderful gift of salvation, brings god's blessings, cometh down from the Father of lights, divine help, drawn away of his own lust, endurance and victory over trials, every good gift, every perfect gift is from above, friendship, from our heavenly Father, God cannot be tempted with evil, God is love and light, God is only and always good, God is the author of all that is not darkness, God is the Father of the heavenly bodies, God never tempts man with evil intent, God tries the saints, God's word in our hearts, grace, I am the beloved of god, in god's eyes, LOVE, mercy, neither shadow of turning, no need to fear, not what I do, not what people say about me, peace, seek the easy way out, share His love with the world, spiritual light, temptations of internal origin, the Immutability of God, there is no sin nor transgression in god, trials of external origin, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, unchanging natrue will and character, with whom is no variableness

James 1:17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning.

A good Tuesday morning to all you my beautiful, wonderful and faithful friends in Scrip-Bit Land! Grace and Peace, Mercy, LOVE and Friendship to us all from our heavenly Father. And as James, Jesus’ brother puts it: ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning.’ (James 1:17) Wow! And isn’t it good to hear that ALL good things come from our heavenly Father, our God, Creator and Redeemer! But what does all of that mean eh? And we have plenty info to share on all of that. (smile)

Let’s begin with this general description from the gotquestions.org website. ‘It would be reasonable to conclude that the title “Father of lights” in James 1:17 communicates the idea that God is the author of all that is not darkness. There is no sin or transgression in Him. Everything represented by light is exemplified by God. Integrity, loyalty, honor, glory, wisdom, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), compassion, and LOVE are all qualities of God and examples of spiritual “light.”

Physical lights, too, owe their existence to God: the starry heavens and the planetary kingdoms are all created by the Father of lights for His glory and purpose. As the Father of lights, God embodies all that is good and right. Just as God is LOVE (1 John 4:16), so God is light (1 John 1:5). God does not merely possess LOVE and light, as though they are qualities that can be taken away. God is LOVE and light, which makes Him the Father and originator of all lesser lights.’ So technically speaking, God has everything to do with the light we enjoy, be it physical, spiritual, emotional, or whatever! (smile)

Now let’s look at the part about variation and changing, as the scholars talk about the Immutability of God. ‘1:17. Since all changes are either for the better or for the worse, God is unchanging because He is perfect and cannot get any better nor become worse. The Scriptures describe God’s nature, will, and character as immutable or unchanging. Illustration: To be immutable, however, does not mean to be immobile. God also has the qualities of personality and can act, think, create and make decisions. Application: God is unchanging; therefore Christians can depend on His LOVE and power, because God has not changed since biblical times (First ref. Ps. 9:7); Primary ref. James 1:17; cf. Lev. 19:2).’

And all God’s people gave out a loud, and grateful shout of ‘Glory Hallelujah! All praise and honour to the Most High God Jehovah! The First and the Last! The Alpha and Omega! Who was, is and always shall be!’ Yes friends, we’re so blessed to have the Lord God Almighty in our corner. I just wish many many more of us would realize it and accept His free and wonderful gift of salvation through His amazing and awesome Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour!

Then there’s also this explanation from the scholars. ‘1:17. Three great principles are presented: (1) God is the Father, or Creator, of the heavenly bodies. (2) As their Creator, He is certainly more stable than they. With God there is not even the slightest change; He is immutable. (3) God is only good – and always good. This third principle relates verse 17 to the preceding context. It answers the implication of verse 13 that God may sometimes tempt man to evil. Though God tries the saints (John 6:6; Heb. 11:17), He NEVER tries with evil intent so as to tempt them.’

And now that we’ve got that straight, (smile) that our God never tempts mankind with any evil intent, I guess we should go back and look at the previous verses that could cause some of us to think differently. James says: ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him.’ (James 1:12)

And the scholars offer this explanation for that verse. ‘1:12. Mankind understandably may look on tragedy as the curse of God, as Job’s friends did. Trials are, however, the means through which God’s blessings can come. One’s endurance in and victory over trials bring God’s blessings. Christians, therefore, are not instructed to seek avenues of escape. God desires that they mature in the situation than move from it (cf. Rom. 5:3-5; 1 Pet. 1:6-7).

He does, however, promise to provide an escape if the testing becomes unbearable (1 Cor. 10:13). God’s people need to meditate more on James 1:12 than 1 Corinthians 10:13. The reason for this, and why God allows trials in the lives of his people, is revealed in the Mosaic Law. ‘That he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end (Deut. 8:16).’

Oh my brethren, it’s in our own interest that we endure trials rather than always trying to escape them, for maturity, spiritual growth and heavenly blessings come when we endure temptations. And that’s why it’s suggested that we meditate on James 1:12, which encourages us to stand strong under the temptations, rather than 1 Cor.10:13, which talks about finding a way to escape them. And that’s definitely why a lot of us are not more blessed and spiritually mature, because we always seek the easy way out through escape.

And James continues: ‘Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust (desire), and enticed. Then when lust (desire) hath conceived, it bringeth forth (gives birth to) sin: and sin, when it is finished (full grown), bringeth forth death.’ (James 1:13-15) And that’s the gospel truth!

Now please pay particular attention to these explanations from the scholars as they provide some very important points about trials and temptations. ‘1:13-15. The temptation of verses 13-15 differs from that in verses 2-12, as the context shows. Here the source is identified as internal, from one’s own lust, and the outcome is death. In verses 2-12 the “temptations” or trials have an external origin in that they fall on man. The trials of verse 2-12 cannot be avoided, so believers are encouraged to endure them, and mature as a result.

The temptations of verses 13-15 must be avoided, according to God’s express commandments (Rom. 13:14; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). The progression of sin, from temptation to death, has an analogy in the physical life cycle: conception, birth, maturity, and death. James uses words with the same Greek root in verses 2-12 and 13-15 to express different concepts. Outwardly, trials and temptations may appear the same, and what may start as a trial may develop into a temptation, if not properly answered by the Word of God.’

Mama Yo! It’s a lot to take in, but we need to get serious and do take it in, for our eternal destiny and rewards depend on how we handle these consummate forces of earthly life. And it will also do us a lot of good if we check out some of those many scriptures listed today. It’s plenty for us to ponder today, and I never intended or expected to get into so much stuff, but that’s where I was led. And as faithful children of God, I know we can handle it. (smile)

Now let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. In strong, 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 the world. Amen!’

So what are we waiting for eh? Let’s go and do it nuh! Much LOVE!

…life is full of lusts and temptations…but with God’s Word in our hearts…and His divine help…there’s no need to fear…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 January 2021 Philippians 4:13.

25 Jan 2021 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a lesson learned, a lot of negativity, adversity, anxiety, be of good cheer, Christian tenets, contentment, divine help, fear, forgive us, God is good, hardship, heal our land, hope, humble ourselves, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I have learned, i have overcome the world, I speak in respect of want, in me ye might have peace, in the world, in whatever state I am, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus is just a prayer away, joy, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, my God shall supply all your needs, neither in a classroom or overnight, peace, practical experiences of life, standing in faith, the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the God who heals, the promise of eternal life, therewith to be content, these things I have spoken unto you, troubled circumstances, ye shall have tribulation

Philippians 4:13. I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

Monday’s on the board friends! How are we going to greet it eh? I hope it’s with plenty hope, LOVE, joy and peace, as our Christian tenets teach us, rather than with fear, anxiety and a whole lot of negativity based on our present troubled circumstances. Yes, we will have trouble, persecution, tribulation and what not in this sinful world, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ said that, but then He went on to conquer the negative stuff, like hell, death and the grave by His crucifixion and resurrection so that we would not have to worry about all the negative stuff that came our way.

Here’s how He put it: ‘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) What wonderful news that is my brethren! Jesus has already overcome the world, so we just have get ourselves together and maintain that victory! Maintain it with good cheer; that is LOVE, assurance, hope, faith and the promise of eternal life if we endure to the end.

And no, living the Christian life in this sinful and ofttimes godless world is not easy, but with Christ’s divine help we can do it. Remember how Bruh Paul characterized it? ‘I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Now that’s quite true, but there’s something more we must learn, and that’s the context in which he said it. He was referring to a gift from the church at Philippi. And though he appreciated their care and consideration and gift very much, he told them: ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.’ (Phil. 4:11)

And that my fellow believers is something that we all need to learn in these troubled times and times of expected entitlement. Bruh Paul was grateful for their financial gift, but he could also have done without it, because he had learned how to be content whether he had a lot or a little. And the scholars add an interesting message. ‘The Greek here suggests that contentment is a lesson learned neither in a classroom nor overnight, but through many practical experiences in life.’

Oh my people, that is a truth that so many believers need to learn. Yes, we ought to be contented in any state in which we find ourselves, with Jesus’ help of course, but it doesn’t happen overnight, and like all other growth it comes with hardship and adversity. So if you’re having trouble in that area, like so many of us in this pandemic time, just remember that you can do all you need to handle the situation with Christ in your corner, but it will take time and also some effort from you.

As Bruh Paul continues: ‘I know both how to be abased (live humbly), and I know how to abound (live in prosperity): every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need.’ (Phil. 4:12) Yes friends, it’s something that many of us are learning in these Covid times, when work is scarce and the essentials of life are difficult to come by.

But we do need to learn how to discipline ourselves in times of prosperity and in times of want, to learn the secret of how to be well fed even in the rough going. So let’s not beat up ourselves if we’re not doing as well as we ought to or want to in these troubled days, remember Jesus is just a prayer away with help.

Yes, I know it might not come right away, but our faith teaches us to wait and be patient and expectant. No wonder Bruh Paul could promise the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) He is aware of their sacrifice on Bruh Paul’s behalf, and thus will generously meet their needs.

My fellow believers, that’s what God is about; providing, meeting our needs when we sincerely call on Him. That’s His ever-faithful promise. So why don’t we do that right now nuh through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. Let’s bare our very hearts and souls to our Creator, as He desires of us.

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 natural disasters like storms, famine, drought, plagues, climate change, wildfires, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that suddenly seem to be blossoming more and more as time goes by.

Now we have to do our part; wait with eager and sincere expectation, that’s faith, and stay repentant and be obedient so the Lord can see that we’re truly sorry for turning away from Him. Much LOVE!

…life’s not easy in this sinful world…but God is good…Glory Hallelujah…

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 October 2021 1 Corinthians 12:14.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 September 2021 Ecclesiastes 4:9.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2021 Numbers 23:19a.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 July 2021 John 15:5b.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 April 2021 Psalm 95:6.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 March 2021 1 Corinthians 10:13a.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 January 2021 Philippians 4:13.

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