25 Jul 2026
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a call for hope, a declaration of hope, a declaration of humility, a declaration of trust, A Humble Heart, abundant redemption, as a child that is weaned of his mother, associate with humble folks, Baruch, be a faithful minister, be not wise in thine own eyes, be not wise in your own conceits, be not wise in your own estimation, being like a little child before the Lord, Christians, cling to God with all our might, condescend to men of low estate, content with the Lord's appointment, deepen my breath, don't seek out your own greatness, don't set your mind on high things, eating grass like and ox, enjoying the good weather, faith, fear the Lord and depart from evil, give thee thy life as a prize, holy spirit, I have behaved, I praise you for your unceasing nearness, I want to be with you now, I will bring evil upon all flesh, in all places whither thou shalt go, in all sincerity and truth, in things too high for me, increase my awareness of you today, Jeremiah's secretary, Jesus Christ, know you all the more, lazy-day Saturday, Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, lean not unto thine own understanding, let Israel hope in the Lord, lolling in the sunshine, LOVE, loving-kindness, mercy, mind not high things, my heart is not haughty, my soul is even as a weaned child, Nebuchadnezzar, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, nor mine eyes lofty, peace and calm, Pharaoh, quiet my soul, quieted myself, recognized the sovereignty of God, redeem Israel from all his iniquities, rejoicing, relax my muscles, salvation, seek them not, seekest thou great things for thyself, slow my thoughts, thank you for this tenderness, that which I have built I will break down, that which I have planted I will pluck up, the BIBLE, the breath of life, the breath of life is still flowing through one's body, the gospel truth, the Lord checks our hearts, the Lord delights in having intimacy with us, the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and jacob, the Lord silikes pride and haughtiness, the plagues of Egypt, thy life will I give unto thee for a prey, to our hungry souls, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, truth, well done thou good and faithful servant, wisdom, with the Lord there is mercy, woe is me now, you can't be contained, your love both surrounds and fills me, your peace and love are present
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 July 2026 Jeremiah 45:5a.
Jeremiah 45:5a. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not:
Wow! It’s our lazy-day Saturday! And I did enjoy some lazy-time in my bed this morning, but had to cut it short to come down and write the Bit. But them’s the breaks! (smile) And besides, it’s too beautiful a summer’s day to waste just lying in bed doing nothing. One should be up and about outside enjoying the good weather, lolling in the sunshine and rejoicing that the breath of life is still flowing through one’s body.
However, before we do any lazy stuff, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, in all sincerity and truth. As one strong voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
And as always, when the Lord checks our hearts, if He finds them to be sincere, then He’ll soon be sending the peace and calm that we requested, to our hungry souls, for He just delights in having intimacy with His greatest creation; the human being. And today we’ll look at Psalm 131, titled ‘A Humble Heart,’ Bruh David’s declaration of humility. So please read with me: ‘Lord, my heart is not haughty (proud), nor mine eyes lofty (conceited): neither do I exercise (concern) myself in great matters, or in things too high (difficult, profound) for me. Surely I have behaved (calmed) and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.’ (Ps. 131:1-3)
Yes friends, it’s short and simple but contains some profound sentiments. The first one is humility. Remember the Lord dislikes pride and haughtiness possibly more than anything else, because it shows that you have no need of or use for Him. Cousin Sol calls it one of the seven abominations that the Lord dislikes, (Prov. 6:16-19) and throughout the Bible those who have been overly proud have eventually been brought to task by the Lord. For example, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon who thought he was so great, and the Lord humbled him by seven years of madness, eating grass like the ox, until he recognized the sovereignty of the God of Daniel, the One True God. (Dan. 4)
And like Pharaoh, ruler of the greatest nation at the time, who refused to free the Israelites and faced a whole lot of plagues on Egypt, then drowned Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea when trying to pursue the fleeing Israelites, breaking Egypt’s power, humbling her, through His great might. (Ex. 7-12)
Then there’s this interesting story of the biblical scribe, Baruch, the prophet Jeremiah’s secretary. It seems Baruch was of noble birth and was apparently aware that he could have risen to a high position, but under Jeremiah’s influence, he repressed his ambition, being contented to follow the prophet. Jeremiah dictated his prophecies to Baruch, who read them to the people. King Jehoiakim was a greatly angered at hearing them, and had Baruch arrested and the scroll burned. Baruch was eventually taken to Egypt, along with Jeremiah. (43:6)
Now, apparently at one stage Baruch had been depressed and or unhappy, and had written ‘Woe is me now! for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.’ (Jer. 45: 3) Then the Lord instructed Jeremiah: ‘Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil (adversity) upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey (as a prize) in all places whither thou goest.’ (Jer. 45: 4-5)
Yes my people, that’s the voice of the Lord warning one worker not to seek his own greatness, but to stick with the Lord’s work. As the scholars say: ‘Baruch’s lofty calling was simply to be a faithful minister, content with the Lord’s appointment. For faithfulness has its own reward.’ And that’s the living truth! For when we serve the Lord faithfully and don’t seek out our own greatness, He rewards us with lasting favour and mercy.
And we have this other passage from Bruh Paul to the Romans where he warns about high-minded and haughty things. ‘Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with humble folks). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation).’ (Rom. 12:16) Now that’s wonderful advice my brethren, for as Cousin Sol warns in Proverbs: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding… Be not wise in tine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil.’ (Prov. 3:5; 7)
Exactly what Bruh Paul said. For being haughty, wise and know it all, will only bring your down fall eventually, when the Lord gets tired of your foolish pride. But getting back to Psalm 131. The scholars say that the second verse where Bruh David claims to have weaned himself like a child is a declaration of his trust in the Lord, being like a little child before Him, and the third verse is a call for hope. It’s like what the palmist says in Psalm 130: ‘Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-KINDNESS), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps. 130:7-8)
Now that’s the gospel truth my brethren! For only with the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is there much LOVING-KINDNESS and plenty redemption! Therefore wisdom dictates that we follow the Lord, cling to Him with all our might, so that we can receive His numerous, wonderful rewards at the end. Much LOVE!
…the words every believer desires to hear…well done…thou good and faithful servant…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
30 Oct 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a continuous drizzle, a genuine and unfeigned love, a sense of shame or remorse, a shared commitment to christ, a short downpour, a volitional caring for others, abhor that which is evil, abundance, as much as it depends on you, as much as lieth in you, as your Father in heaven is perfect, associate with the lowly, avenge not yourselves, be kindly affectioned one to another, be not wise in your own conceits, be not wise in your own estimation, be of the same mind one toward another, be ye therefore perfect, bless and curse not, bless them that curse you, bless them which persecute you, brotherly LOVE, cleave to that which is good, come to know and love christ like we do, compassion, condescend to men of low estate, creating havoc, curse, disharmony, distributing to the necessity of the saints, disunity in Christ's church, don't set your mind on high things, duty bound, even the publicans the same, faith, favour, fervent in spirit, give place unto wrath, given to hospitality, giving preference to one another, God spared our lives, God's supernatural wisdom, goes agins the grain of our culture, good friends, good health, great family, greet your brethren only, grounded in humility, harmony, have regard for good things, heap coals of fire on his head, holy spirit, Hurricane Melissa, hypocrisy, hypocritical posture, if he thirst give him drink, if it be possible, if thine enemy hunger feed him, in honour preferring one another, in the sight of all men, infighting in the church, Jesus Christ, Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, kindness, lagging in diligence, let love be without dissimulation, like-minded purpose, live peaceably with all men, LOVE, love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy, Love your enemies, mercy, mind not high things, negative word, no questioning of Christ's directives, not slothful in business, patient in tribulation, persevering in tribulation, petty differences, positive outlook on life, promotion, prosper, provide things honest to all men, recompense to no man evil for evil, rejoice with them that rejoice, rejoicing in hope, salvation, self-discipline, serving the Lord, sincere love, slef-control, steadfast in prayer, succeed, talent, the originator and perfecter of our faith, truth, unity, use those blessings to help others, vengeance is mine saith the Lord, weep with them that weep, what reward have you, wisdom
Romans 12:18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you (depends on you), live peaceably with all men.
It’s raining, it’s raining, on this Thursday morning! But it’s merely drizzling, as it’s done the last couple of times. And although a continuous drizzle can be just as bad as a short downpour, when I think of rain it evokes a sense of more than a drizzle. (smile) But unfortunately all the rain might now be centred in the Caribbean in Hurricane Melissa where she’s created untold havoc in places like Jamaica and Cuba…and might not be done just yet as she flies northward in search of more prey.
And unfortunately too, in those circumstances, all we can do is pray and offer whatever physical help we can afterwards. So please, let’s keep those unfortunate people in our prayers, and help however we can, for we never know when our circumstances might turn bad, and we’ll also need help. And since God seems to have spared our lives today, let’s turn to His Word as promised and check out some more scriptures that deal with unity, harmony and likeminded purpose. Or, as that commentary yesterday so nicely put it: ‘passages that emphasize unity in purpose, LOVE, and harmony, grounded in humility and a shared commitment to Christ.’
Now reading that just makes me feel so sad about the state of Christ’s church with all the disunity and infighting. And we’ll begin today with more words on Christian unity and compassion from Bruh Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome. He writes: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring one another (giving preference to another). Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent (boiling over) in spirit; serving the Lord;
Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer; Distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the lowly). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation). Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men (have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in you (depends on you), live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head (a sense of shame or remorse). Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:9-21)
Ah mih people, Bruh Paul just laid out the basics of our Christian faith. To LOVE each other with a sincere LOVE, not a hypocritical posture, treat others with kindness and compassion, don’t resort to evil, but to replace it with good, and even when wronged, don’t resort to your own vengeance for the Lord says that is His prerogative. Also to feed your enemies, which might cause them to be ashamed and turn to Christ through your kindness. And as per the scholars: ‘The Christian’s conduct in the local church toward fellow believers is to be a volitional caring for others (done of one’s own free will), LOVING faithfully in spite of the response received. The LOVE is to be genuine and unfeigned.’
Now, if we could only have more of that in the church than the hypocrisy and strife that’s currently deep seated in it, our lives and that of the world would be so much better. I don’t think we fully realize that it’s we Christians who are expected to make the world a better place, for the evil doers will not. It’s not on their agenda, but it’s on ours. And it’s like Jesus said: ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye LOVE them which LOVE you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) the same? And if ye salute (greet) your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) do so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt. 5:43-48)
And if Christ, the originator and perfector of our faith says that’s how it should be, then that’s what we ought to do. So, if you consider yourself His true disciple and follower, then there’s to be no questioning of His directives. But because some of the things Jesus desires us to do seem difficult and run against the grain of our culture and religious denomination, we tend to question and shy away from doing His bidding. And that’s why His church is in such a mess; awfully divided, in disharmony, with many petty differences keeping it from being united.
Ah friends, it’s a sad day when you look at our world and see the turmoil it’s in, and know that with a little effort on our part we could help to make it better. But for whatever reason(s) we refuse to make that effort. Even with the amazing, undeserved blessings that we call our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. But nonetheless, with great hope and faith in our hearts, let’s declare and thus activate them right now nuh.
As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment!
I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) we’re now duty bound to go out and use those blessings to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us, so that they can also come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…unless there’s first sincere LOVE and unity in Christ’s church…our world will never see peace…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
26 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a balmy spring day, a genuine and unfeigned love, a hunger for power, a sad reflection of today's world, abhor that which is evil, admonishments, associate with the humble, basic foundation of Christianity, be kindly affectioned one to another, be not wise in your own conceits, be of the same mind, Bible, bless and curse not, bless them which persecute you, boiling over, brotherly LOVE, Christian denominations, christianity, Christians, church hierarchy, church unity, cleave to that which is good, cliques, condescend to men of low estate, cry tears of sorrow, despite the response received, difficuly in expressing unity, distributing to the necessity of the saints, divorce, don't set your mind on high things, endure to the end, enjoy it while we have it, eyes fixed straight ahead, faith, fervent in spirit, getting on in age, given to hospitality, giving preference to one another, halfway home, hands on the plough, holy spirit, hope, hypocrisy, incomparable position in Jesus, Jesus Christ, lagging in diligence, let love be without dissimulation, LOVE, Love makes the world go round, loving faithfully, Martin Luther, mercy, mind not high things, negative vibes, not slothful in business, not turning back, patient in tribulation, persevering, personal faith, petty differences, Protestantism, real love in the church is lacking, Reformation, rejoice with those who rejoice, rejoicing in hope, rfits in the Catholic Church, selfishness, serving the Lord, solidarity, steadfast in prayer, thank God, the breath of life is still flowing through me, to a glorious future with Jesus, truth, unworthy gossip, voluntary caring, weep with those who weep, wisdom
Romans 12:9. Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Aye friends, it’s almost like a balmy spring day in my neighbourhood this Wednesday morning! It’s around plus 5 degrees, and the sun’s mostly overpowering the clouds, and one can walk around without too much fear of icy patches on the ground. However, although the snow has melted some, and thankfully slowly, the mounds are still there, not as big as they were, but big enough to remind you of what we recently went through. How long this comparatively balmy weather will last is anyone’s guess, so we’d better enjoy it while we have it.
By the way, let me apologize for an incorrect reference yesterday. I mistakenly referenced the verse that our poem was based on, as Rom. 3:12. It should have been Rom. 12:3. I don’t know if I was in a rush or simply forgetful, but you have to excuse the ole fella sometimes for those mistakes, because He’s getting on in age and possibly not all of his faculties are functioning properly. (smile)
And yuh know what, today I think we should just continue with Bruh Paul’s words to the Romans in the rest of Chapter 12, beginning with this ever so important admonishment about church unity. So please read and inwardly digest with me: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.’ (Rom. 12:9)
And right there we have the basic foundation of our Christian faith, especially to our church brethren. Or as the scholars explain: ‘The Christian’s conduct in the local church toward fellow believers is to be a volitional (voluntary, on purpose) caring for others, LOVING faithfully in spite of the response received. The LOVE is to be genuine and unfeigned.’
Now, that makes me want to cry tears of sorrow because the basic or real LOVE in Christ’s church is almost non-existent, and what little there is, is oftentimes hypocritical. We speak and talk kindly to each other, but underneath there are so many negative vibes, with cliques and unworthy gossip floating around, that it destroys the little good there is. And this most important failing isn’t only exhibited in the local churches, but in ALL of Christianity! Just look at the petty differences that are keeping one supposed denomination from working sincerely and faithfully with each other.
A 2024 worldwide survey has estimated that there are more than 45,000 Christian denominations worldwide. Wow! Now why should there be a need for so many eh, when we’re supposedly teaching the same gospel and worshiping the same Triune God? It’s basically because petty differences have gotten in the way over the years, plus selfishness and a hunger for power. That recalls the serious rifts in the Catholic Church which was then the main body of Christianity.
Some happened in the fifth century, but very notable is the one where England broke away because King Henry V111 wanted to divorce his current wife and the church would not allow it. So, He broke away and formed the Protestant Division. That was further split during the 16th century when German priest, Martin Luther began what we call the Reformation Movement by writing his 95 Theses. His theses emphasized personal faith and the Bible as the ultimate authority, rather than the church hierarchy.
And so it goes on, even today. Every day you hear of some congregation splitting up and becoming two rather than one. And just for our information, a Christian denomination is noted as a religious organization that combines local congregations into a single administrative body. Members of the same denomination share similar beliefs, worship practices, and work together to preserve shared enterprises.
And what are some examples of Christian denominations you ask? These are some of the largest; Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Apostolic, Methodist, Anglican, Moravian, Plymouth Brethren, and Quaker. However, each one can have different cliques and groups operating under the overall umbrellas of those names but doing some different things in the way they worship. And there are also a lot of Independent Churches, which don’t come under any of the basic Christian headings, simply doing their own thing.
Therefore, with that kind of unilateral, autonomous, independent behaviour, it’s no wonder that down through the ages Christians have had much difficulty in expressing unity and solidarity. And that’s why Bruh Paul was so adamant about our volitional caring behaviour to each other. He then continues thus: ‘Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another. Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent in spirit (lit., boiling over); serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer; Distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality.’ (Rom. 12:10-13)
Yuh see friends, that’s basically how Christ’s church ought to operate, at least on the local level. But most of us would agree that even in the local churches that tight reign of brotherly LOVE seldom exists. Therefore, how can we expect it to exist on the higher levels eh? And Bruh Paul’s not done with his admonishment nuh. He continues: ‘Bless (speak well of) them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the humble). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation).’ (Rom. 12:14-16)
There again my brethren, we’re taught not to think too highly of ourselves, which in itself, is a sad reflection of today’s world. Now Bruh Paul goes on to say more, but we’ll leave that until tomorrow, if God spares life, because it would just make today’s Bit too long, and we have enough fodder today to contemplate and meditate on. (smile) So let’s go home declaring our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry and sundry know of our wonderful, incomparable position in Christ Jesus.
In strong and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And isn’t that just dandy? It surely is, but it gets even better, because we’ve also been promised that if we endure with Christ right down to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine! So, let’s do our best to stay the course nuh, so that we can enjoy that everlastingly glorious future together! Much LOVE!
…LOVE makes the world go round…that’s our heavenly Father’s greatest desire…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
12 Mar 2014
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a swig of rum, abhor evil, affectionate, anguished cries, arthritic aches and pains, associate with the humble, be diligent, be honest, be hospitable, be of good courage, be patient in tribulation, be steadfast in prayer, bless, bless those who persecute you, brotherly LOVE, Bruh Paul, Christian ethic, cling to good, coals of fire, come hell or high water, cry out to the Lord for help, curse not, dissimulation, don't be conceited, don't grow weary, don't repay evil for evil, don't set your mind on high things, don't take revenge, endure our afflictions with patience, evil, faithful help of Jesus, feed your enemy, fervent in spirit, good, gospel truth, harrowing time, hypocrisy, incessant pain, kindly affectioned, live in peace, long and short of the story, LOVE, meet the needs of the saints, moan and groan, night from hell, numbing gel, our Lord and Saviour, overcome evil with good, pain, pain threshold, pain-killers, praise and thanks, pray, rejoice, rejoice in hope, serve the Lord, spring-like weather, take hold of God's grace, tale of woe, Thank the Lord, the Lord will perfect establish strengthen and settle us, toothache, true believers, vengeance is mine, wait on the Lord, weep
Romans 12:9. Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, the ole fella’s a mess this Wednesday morning. Why you ask? Because I had a night from hell, last night!
It all began with a minor toothache over the weekend. It wasn’t too bad, just a low grade throbbing on the right side of my face. It seemed that a tooth I’d fixed just before I went to Tobago was acting up again; reacting badly to cold stuff. But the situation was controllable, so when I called my dentist on Monday and got an appointment for Wednesday, today, I didn’t make a fuss.
However mih people, yesterday the pain decided to upgrade itself. It actually began in the morning, because I now remember going upstairs while writing the Bit and getting a swig of rum to swish around the tooth to try and numb it some. But around lunchtime it got worse, and I ended up taking some pain-killers.
That helped a little, but I eventually went to the pharmacy, in the spring like weather (smile) and got a gel that would supposedly numb the tooth. Hn! It wasn’t the greatest, but I handled the pain until around eleven o’clock last night, when I was ready to go to bed.
However, the pain asked me then; ‘which bed yuh going to eh mih brother?’
Oh Friends, I pride myself on having a fairly high pain threshold – and I should have since I’ve been walking around with a back problem for over twenty years, and various other arthritic aches and pains over the last dozen years or so. I haven’t had a serious toothache in a long while though.
But last night…with the pain throbbing in my jaw and in my head, they almost drove me crazy, both literally and figuratively. (smile) Neither the pain-killers nor the numbing gel seemed to be working. At one point in my misery, I went down to the kitchen, got some ice, put some over the affected area…
MamaMia! That only increased the pain. But thankfully, after the ice melted, I did get a little relief from the incessant pain.
So there I was upstairs in my bedroom and bathroom, sucking ice and having an ice pack on my jaw, trying to moan and groan quietly, so as to not disturb the duchess and my young daughter. Hn, hn, hn!
And don’t think I didn’t pray and cry out to the Lord for help. I surely did, though not as loudly as I would have liked to, but there was no mistaking that they were anguished cries.
Anyway Friends, the long and short of the story is that it wasn’t until around 2 a.m that the pain subsided enough for me to get some sleep. Ah Lord eh!
And the trouble is that I can’t tell you exactly which tooth is acting up, for at times it seems like it’s the one on the bottom, as well as the one on the top, and then sometimes my jaw also seems to be in play. Steups! But I understand that that’s how those things often work.
Thank the Lord though, that so far this morning the pain isn’t too bad. I’ve already done my pain killer stuff, and will do the gel thing after I have my coffee. All I can do is shake my head and say, Ah Lord eh! As well as give the Lord some praise and thanks, as I did, or tried to do, all through my harrowing time.
Now all I need is that stupid snowstorm that’s been promised, to actually fall to day. But believe me people, come hell, high water, or plenty snow, the ole fella IS going to the dentist this afternoon. Hn, Hn, Hn!
And I can afford to chuckle now, but a few hours ago, chuckling was the furthest thing from my mind. And that’s my tale of woe for this morning. (smile)
But here is something else that we also need to take into consideration during our times of woe. And it’s staring right at me now, from a piece of paper stuck on my desk. And it says that our task is to take hold of God’s grace, to endure our afflictions with patience, without growing weary.
Why? Because in time – that’s the Lord’s time, not ours – He will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us. We must wait on the Lord and be of good courage. And that’s gospel truth Friends, although it’s not always easy to do.
But here is something that’s much easier to do – at least I find so. In the telling words of our Bit: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good.’
However, from the way our society and our world are living, that would seem to be a real difficult, if not impossible task. Anyway, let’s continue looking at scriptures that support the last half of our Bit: ‘Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good.’
And we’ll begin by showing how and what Bruh Paul envisioned the Christian ethic to be when he wrote our Bit, with some verses that follow it.
‘Be kindly affectioned (affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference) to one another; Not slothful in business (lagging in diligence); fervent (lit. boiling over) in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient (persevering) in tribulation; continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer; distributing to the necessity (needs) of saints; given to hospitality.
Bless (speak well of) them which persecute you: bless and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the humble).
Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation). Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (Have regard for good things). If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom.12:10-21)
Ah mih people, that’s the whole Christian thing right there! And again, I never intended to quote all of that, but after reading it through, I couldn’t find a proper spot to stop, for it all seemed so significant and apropos to our topic.
Anyway, that’s it for today. Please read, mark and inwardly digest those words of Bruh Paul, since they do declare the way true believers ought to live. Much LOVE!
…do not let evil enter our souls or dictate our actions…but instead fend off evil with good…with the faithful help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…
23 Aug 2013
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: affection, associate with the humble, be honest, be of like minds, be of one accord, benefits, bless those who persecute you, body, bounden duty, build Christ's church, cheerful hearts, comfort of LOVE, conceits, consolation in Christ, Creator, curse not, depart from evil, dissension, ditty, divide and conquer, don't repay evil for evil, don't set your mind on high things, encouragement, eschew evil, esteem, fellowship, freedom, Friday chant, fun, further your glorious kingdom, generous help, get a move on, glorious kingdom, godly virtues, grains of sand, ground zero, hallmark of Christians, harmonious living, harmony and unity, high mindedness, holy spirit, jehovah god, Jesus, jesus name, joy, likeminded, live peaceably, live right, lowliness, mercy, mind, no man's an island, only hope, opposition, peace and harmony, petty differences, provider, rejoice, relaxation, relevant scriptures, renewed and refreshed, repel the enemy, selfishness, sincere reverence and worship, slave labour, solace, solemn decision, soul, stand together, steadfast in unity, strife, striving together, strong voice, successful future, succour, sure foundation, sympathy, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the gospel's progress, unruly living, vainglory, virtues, weekend, weep with those who weep, wisdom, wise in your own estimation
Proverbs 3:7-8. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.
Oh Friends, before I could even say anything about it being Friday, the working populace was already chanting: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! The weekend done come! Yes the weekend done come! And soon this week of slave labour will end. Yes, this week of slave labour soon end. So just thank God it’s Friday!’
Now Friends, that li’l ditty heralds the arrival of the weekend, and it’s all well and good to do so, but then we need to understand how to use those two days of freedom. That’s where our Friday Chant comes in. So let’s chant it nuh, in strong voice, with cheerful hearts.
‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.’
Now that’s the right way to use our valuable two days off! That brings us to our Bit. ‘Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel (body), and marrow (strength) to thy bones.’
It’s the same as yesterday. However, instead of it being basically the headline or banner for several other affirmations, today we’ll dig a little deeper into its individual meaning and share some relevant scripture.
Now the basic meaning should be clear, because the words are simple and to the point. We shouldn’t consider ourselves as stalwarts of wisdom, since we obviously are not, and thus try to do stuff in our own strength, as an island unto ourselves, for none of us can stand alone. We all need help at various times and stages of our lives.
What we need to do is turn to Jehovah God, our Creator and Provider and acknowledge Him with sincere reverence and worship. That’s true wisdom! For in so doing, He’ll give us all the succour we need, and the strength to eschew the evil things of this world, which are like the grains of sand on the beach; too numerous to count.
That’s why Bruh Paul wrote these relevant scriptures to his readers. To the Romans, he says: ‘Bless them which persecute you: bless (speak well off), and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another.
Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the humble). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation). Recompense to (repay) no man evil for evil. Provide things honest (have regard for good things) in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men.’ (Rom.12:14-18)
Yes Friends, believers ought to try and live in peace and harmony as much as possible and not in dissension and high mindedness as many of us are living today.
Meanwhile to the Philippians, Bruh Paul pleads: ‘If there be therefore any consolation (encouragement) in Christ, if any comfort of LOVE (consolation), if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels (affection) and mercies (sympathy),
Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same LOVE, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.’ (Phil.2:1-4)
Oh my people, harmonious living should be the hallmark of those living under the Holy Spirit of Christ!
Now here are some important thoughts from the scholars. Re verse 1: ‘Therefore resumes the thought begun in 1:27-28, namely that the Philippians are to be “worthy” and steadfast in unity, striving together for the gospel’s progress. The word if, occurring four times in this verse, denotes fact, not doubt; it might then be translated “since.”
Paul is thus affirming that in Christ there exist consolation (encouragement); comfort of LOVE (solace furnished by LOVE); fellowship of the Spirit (partaking of the Holy Spirit’s life and sharing in His gifts, ministry, help, values, etc.); bowels (affection); and mercies (sympathy).
This verse forms the basis for Paul’s appeal in verse 2: “Fulfill ye my joy.” His thinking is this: Since these five benefits or virtues exist in Christ, and since you are Christians, then exercise these virtues toward one another as you contend for the gospel and face opposition.’
Ah mih breddren, what statements of truth! Selfish and unruly living, like many of us supposed believers are currently embracing, will only harm Christ’s church. Only the upholding of the godly virtues will enable us to stand together and successfully repel the enemy. And sadly, we’re not doing a good enough job of it, because the enemy is daily getting stronger, using our selfish and petty differences to divide and conquer us.
Oh fellow believers in Christ, we cannot allow that to continue happening, for it’s our bounden duty to build Christ’s church, not to see it fall apart for lack of harmony and unity. So I’m imploring each and every one of us who claims to believe, to TRY AND LIVE RIGHT!
We all know what it takes to do that, but we need to truly get serious about it and make a solemn decision to actually do it. Otherwise, Christ’s church will keep on falling lower and lower, until it hits Ground Zero. And I’m sure we don’t want that to happen, especially on our watch.
Therefore Friends, let’s get a move on nuh, let’s start living more harmoniously than we’re currently doing. It’s our ONLY HOPE for a successful future! Much LOVE!
…no organization can be successfully built…unless there’s a sure foundation of unity and harmony…
SCRIP-BITS 