Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 July 2015 Colossians 3:2‏

06 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 3:2.    Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.

Oh Friends, oh Friends, a fair number of hypocrites came to church yesterday, (smile) and did we ever sing and dance, praise and worship God, and enjoy each other’s company! Wow! So much so that we all left the house of God in great spirits, with our LOVE, peace and godly enthusiasm boosted sky high! Oh Glory to God, my people!

That’s why on this summer’s morn, this Monday morning, we are able to get up and get ourselves together to go out and labour without a lot of fuss and complaining. We set the tone for the rest of the week by affirming our convictions with Almighty God on the first day. And that’s why I keep advising us, that our Sundays set the tone and tempo for our Mondays.

Now for those of us whose spirits are still burdened and heavy laden, let’s get our act together by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with much verve and gusto. As one earthly, but angelic sounding choir, let’s sing.

‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’

Oh Friends, that was wonderful, marvellous! And most importantly, Jesus was thrilled. You could tell by the dazzling smile on His face as lost in the music, He swayed and wielded – no, not wielded, because that carries a sense of a crude, rough and heavy manner – but rather, as He gently, lightly, but firmly caressed the air with His conductor’s baton. (smile)

Yes my people, I don’t know what happened, but we are definitely on the ball this morning. As we sang, we must obviously have done what our Bit says. ‘Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.’

Oh, if we could only do that in all the other areas of our lives, what a truly wonderful world this would be! But unfortunately that’s not the case; the things of the world still hold too much sway over us; we’re way too materialistic and not sufficiently spiritually concerned. And per the Good Book, my brethren, that is not a very good or wise way to be.

Cousin Sol puts it this way in Proverbs. ‘Labour not to be rich (do not overwork): cease from thine own wisdom.’ (Prov.23:4)

And why is that? As Bruh Paul explains to Timothy. ‘But they that will be (desire to be) rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction).

For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil; which while some coveted after, they have strayed from the faith (for which some in their greediness have strayed from the faith), and pierced themselves through with many arrows.’ (1 Tim.6:9-10)

Ah Friends, what absolute truth! When our main ambition is to be rich, to be materially wealthy, we lose sight of our godly purpose and fall into all sorts of compromises and wrong doing, just to make money. In other words we make money our idol, our god.

And that’s obviously not right. At least not in the eyes of our Creator and heavenly Father, who has faithfully promised that if we seek His righteousness, He will provide us with all we need to be  successful in this world. (Matt.6:33) Unfortunately, too many of us don’t seem to believe Him and thus kill ourselves working for the almighty dollar.

Now here is an important explanation from the scholars. ‘6:10. The root of all evil means a root or source of all kinds of evil. The LOVE for money is not the only source from which evil comes. Coveted after means that some have “striven after” money as the goal of life.’

Yes my brethren, money, in and of itself is not bad, and we definitely need it to live, but when we make amassing it our be all and end all, begin coveting it, that is when we lose our way. Remember the last of the Ten Commandments; thou shalt not covet. (Ex.20:17) And that means anything that belongs to someone else. Any time you covet anything, it’s a sin. So the moral of the story is to not let material wealth be your guiding light, but rather Jesus, the true light of the world.

Now let’s conclude with some more wise and wonderful advice from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute  (give), willing to communicate (share); Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim.6:17-19)

Oh Friends, what powerful and wise words! The scholars explain them thus: ‘6:17-18. Paul charges wealthy believers (1) not to be proud and look down on those who are not rich, (2) to confide in God, rather than in unstable riches, (3) to be rich in good works by generously sharing their surplus of financial resources with the needy. To be ready to distribute is to be generous in sharing. To be willing to communicate is to be liberal in giving.’

Now please notice as the scholars remind us: ‘Salvation is not purchased by the giving of money, but generosity demonstrates the reality of one’s faith. Since the believer trusts God and not money, he gives. This giving shows where his heart is and that he views his wealth in light of eternity.’

More words of wisdom Friends, so please let’s ponder on it all and then come to some right conclusions re our attitude towards money, for that will certainly make or break us. Much LOVE!

…money is good and necessary…but LOVING it…allowing it to rule your life…is fraught with many serious pitfalls…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 July 2015 Psalm 46:1‏

04 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 46:1.  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.    

HAPPY  4TH  OF  JULY  U.S. OF A!

Happy Birthday U.S of A! Yes Friends, the greatest nation the world has ever seen is 239 years old today!

Unfortunately, those United States of America are no longer the powerhouse they used to be. Why, you ask? Simply because they have turned away from the God of their fathers, and have now embraced idol worship. When the thirteen States of the Union declared independence from Great Britain in 1776, the guiding light of their founding fathers was the Lord God Jehovah.

Several States had been founded because their occupants, like the Quakers, had been running away from religious persecution in Britain. And why do you think the U.S became such a powerful nation? Because the basis, the foundation for living was based on the Holy Word of God! And we all know that the Word of the Lord is immensely powerful, even to the moving of mountains, and those who sincerely follow it will become powerful too.

Sadly though, in the last few generations the tide has turned, and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob no longer holds near as much sway in the U.S. as it once did. And as the godly character disappeared, so did the prosperity.  

God has been removed from the public schools and government offices, churches are no longer as sacred and important as they used to be. Consequently God is not being taught in the homes either, with the overall result being that God is now severely mocked in the U.S. and instead of being one of the most God-fearing countries in the world; it is now the world’s SIN capital.  

Ah Lord eh! When I hear of some of the sinful abominations that now occur in the U.S, I just have to shake my head in disgust. Even Lucifer, the prince of darkness, who now controls the country, must shake his head in wonder.

Anyway, we’re not here to condemn, but the pertinent facts must be stated without being glossed over. We are here rather to try and raise the level of godliness again, so that the once mighty nation can restore some of its lost glory, and bask once more in the sunshine of God’s grace and mercy. It is never too late to repent and return to God.

The ancient Jewish people knew that and were wise enough to repent when they had fallen by the wayside.  And America right now needs a massive inflow, a great upheaval of repentance and rejuvenation of godliness, so that Jesus’ LOVE Revolution can prevail, and the nation rise once again, like the phoenix from its ashes.

And not only for them, but for the whole world, because although they are not as mighty as they once were, unfortunately, still as they go, so does the rest of the world. So please pray sincerely, seriously and often for America to return to God’s fold, for we will all be blessed by that most significant occurrence.

Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help (an abundantly available help) in trouble.’

Oh Friends, right there is such a statement of absolute and indisputable truth, that if we would only sincerely embrace it, our lives and our world would be so much better!

And the confident declaration of Bruh David, when he fled from the rebellion of his son Absalom as stated in Psalm 3 – a prayer of confidence in God, certainly corroborates our Bit. ‘Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.   Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of (the one who lifts up) mine head.’ (Ps.3:2-3)  

Oh my brethren, more absolute and indisputable truth! Bruh David wasn’t just making this up, writing beautiful poetry for poetry’s sake, but he was living the tough and terrible times. And his confidence in the God of his fathers was so great, that he continues thus. ‘I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.   Selah.

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3: 4-6)

What total confidence and trust in Almighty God! How many of us nowadays can say that with as much confidence and trust eh? Not too many. But Bruh David lived it Friends, and if we live for God too, then eventually we will be able to speak with such boldness and sincerity. And here is how he ends the Psalm. ‘Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people.   Selah.’ (Ps.3:8)

Yes Friends, salvation is of God. It is His free gift through Jesus Christ, and His blessings are always upon those who LOVE, worship and adore Him!

Oh how I wish the once godly societies could repent and go back to serving and worshipping the One and ONLY TRUE GOD, Yahweh, then life here on earth would be so much better.

But not to worry, we’re working on it, slowly but surely, and one day, in the not too distant future, victory will be ours! God has promised it, and we all know that He faithfully keeps His promises, we just have to do our part, which is simply to live for Him and spread His Word.

Now let’s go home with the closing words of Psalm 46, from which our Bit is taken. The sons of Korah unabashedly declare: ‘The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.   Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.   Selah.’ (Ps.46:7-11)  

And all God’s people declared a loud and proud shout of ‘Praise be to the mighty God of Jacob! He is indeed our refuge and our strength, our salvation and our help in time of trouble!’

Yes Friends, now let’s go out and live it nuh, let’s go out and walk the talk. Much LOVE!

 …oh let the Lord be exalted in all the earth…so that the heathen can come to Him…in sincere repentance… and receive the wonderful gifts of salvation and eternal life…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 June 2015 Psalm 103:8‏‏

30 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 103:8.  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness).

Aye Friends, can you believe that it’s already the last day of June, and we haven’t seen a true summer’s day as yet! Hn! I don’t know if that augurs well for the supposed summer months, for since the summer solstice ten days ago we’ve had mostly cool, cloudy wet and windy days.

But as I keep saying, we can’t worry about the state of the universe because that’s God’s domain, and He does whatever He sees fit. We just have to believe that He won’t do anything to harm us, and will eventually work everything out for our good. (Rom.8:28) 

But here is something that we can get our heads around; a quote by Joshua Loth Liebman (1907-1948), the American rabbi and best-selling author. Rabbi Liebman was best known for His book ‘Peace of Mind.’

And in this quote, he says: ‘Believe and remember this: every saint and every sinner affects those whom he will never see, because his words and deeds stamp themselves upon the soft clay of human nature everywhere.’

And that’s gospel truth friends, for when we consider the ripple effect of our words and actions, they can affect millions of people whom we’ll never know or see. That’s why we have to consider seriously and sincerely the words and actions that we say and do, for if they are negative, they can cause lots of negativity all down the line to those who hear and see them.

Unknown to us, our words and actions will cause a lot of grief and heartache if they are not of godly encouragement and positive affirmation. We might see the reaction in a few people close to us, but generally speaking, we’ll never know the multitude that are affected by our negativity or positivity, as one person, or one institution passes it on to another, until it becomes a widely accepted and /or recognized saying or action.

And it’s exactly that far and wide kind of positive and godly ripple effect that I hope our Scrip-Bit has; where one person tells another about it and it keeps going until it is spread to all the nations of the world like Jesus commissioned His disciples to do. (Matt.28:19)

Yeh Friends, it’s ever so important that we watch what we say and do, especially in these times of instant communication, where some bit of information can go around the world almost instantaneously. And people are so insecure and gullible nowadays that they tend to believe almost anything they see on the social media.

That is helping in no uncertain terms to turn people, especially the young generation away from God. But fortunately my brethren, the social media can also be a two way street where we use it to bring people to God. There has never been another generation in man’s history where communication has been so quick and so accessible. Please let’s use it to benefit God’s work and not Lucifer’s.

That brings us to our wonderful and glorious Bit; a fact that we desperately need to communicate to people around the world. ‘The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness).’

Oh Friends, I’m sure if more people knew about those most blessed attributes of our God, they would be more inclined to turn to Him and accept His free gift of grace and mercy that leads to salvation and eternal life.

The problem, to a certain extent, is that they are mostly hearing and seeing the negative messages of the world instead of the positive declarations of Christ.

And it’s our job, through the Great Commission to bring it to them, for they can’t believe and/or accept what they have not seen or heard. So please, let’s all do our best to spread the good news of Christ’s gospel, for it is our bounden duty.

Now let’s look at a couple passages of scripture which corroborate our Bit. And we’ll begin with this strange action of Jonah’s after he had preached to Nineveh and they had repented of their evil ways and the Lord had forgiven them.

The Good Book describes it thus: ‘But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was this not my saying (what I said), when I was yet in my country?

 Therefore I fled before (previously) unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness (LOVING-kindness), and repentest thee of the evil (one who relents from doing harm). Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.’ (Jon.4:1-3)

Oh my brethren, it has always been difficult for me to understand Jonah’s anger at the Lord’s pardoning of Nineveh until now that I’ve read a plausible explanation from the scholars. ‘4:1-4. Displeased…exceedingly and very angry: Jonah maintains a false Jewish nationalism and hatred of all non-Jews, especially Assyrians.’

Ah Friends, what a waste of time, energy and a good life eh! Unfortunately though, many of us supposed Christians still feel like Jonah these days; we feel and exhibit an anger that is not necessary and totally contrary to God’s will.

In a true believer, there should be no constant or consistent anger. For as Bruh Paul so wisely advised the Ephesians. ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph.4:26-27)

And that’s wisdom in spades my brethren! We ought not to go to bed angry because that negative atmosphere will persist in our sleep and cause us to wake up angry and most likely do more negative stuff. And right there we give great opportunity to Beelzebub to infiltrate our souls and spirits, which isn’t very wise.

And we’ll end with some more wise words, this time from our other marvellous brother, Bruh David, from Psalm 86 – Teach my thy way, O Lord. Here He unabashedly declares: ‘For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy (LOVING-kindness) unto all them that call upon thee…. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.’ (Ps.86:5,15)

Oh what words of absolute truth my people! Therefore, let’s take hold of them and run with them nuh, so that we too might be encouraged, uplifted and consequently, eagerly do the work that God has commissioned us to do, instead of having a forced or halfhearted attitude towards it. Friends, please remember that it’s all for our benefit, not for God’s! Much LOVE!

…living for God is easy…when we wisely recognize and accept …His plentiful mercy and grace…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 June 2015 Galatians 6:7

27 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

Galatians 6:7.  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Greetings mih breddren on this wonderful Saturday morning in early summer!  And as Bruh Paul said to Galatians in his opening remarks: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according to the will of God and our Father. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Gal.1:3-5)

Yes Friends, I am wishing those sentiments on us all this morning, so that we begin the day on the right foot; in lockstep with Jesus, for there is no other wise and sensible way to start your day. Glory to God!

And today we’ll get right into our Bit because I have an interesting story to share on the subject. And the Bit is something that we all know and like to quote, but don’t really take time to contemplate and ponder it, before we do many of our actions.  And it simply says: ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’

Oh my people, that is like the number one rule in God’s domain. Whatever you do, whatever you give out, the same will be returned to you, like a boomerang, and usually in greater abundance too. So it behoves us to be very careful in what we say, do and think in this life.

And as Bruh Paul continues: ‘For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ (Gal.6:8)

And we have some explanations from the scholars. ‘6:7. Mocked (outwitted, outfoxed): To disobey God’s commands and then escape divine punishment would be to outwit God, thus making a mockery of Him and His Word. Soweth means “does,” “practices.” Reap could also be said “be requited,” “recompensed.” Contextually, the Galatians cannot disregard the command to support their Christian instructors (v.6) and escape divine discipline.’

‘6:8. For expands the principle of verse 7 to wider application. Soweth to his flesh means to conduct oneself by the evil dictates and desires of the sinful nature, thus practising the deeds of the flesh. (5:19-21). Such a person shall…reap corruption, that is be requited with eternal destruction. Soweth to the spirit means to live by His enabling help in accord with the Spirit’s prompting and leading, thus cultivating the fruit of 5:22-23. Such a person shall…reap life everlasting, that is be rewarded with eternal life.’

Now listen to this story that dramatically brings out the truth in our Bit. And I don’t remember where or when, or from whom or what I got a copy of this story, but it’s been sitting on a chair in study for eons. I might even have shared it before, and if so, it certainly deserves sharing again. Some of you might even know it.

And the story goes thus: A certain successful Christian business man thought it was time for him to retire, but didn’t want to be replaced by any of his family or his directors. So he came up with this wonderful plan to give a group of young executives each a seed to plant, and at the end of a certain period of time, he would have them bring in their plants, and the one he liked the best, the owner would become the new CEO.

Well after a few weeks everybody was talking about their wonderful plants, except this one fellow named Jim. Despite all the water, manure and effort he put into it, nothing would sprout from the seed. He felt he had killed it and considered himself a failure.

A year later the boss called for the plants. But Jim’s pot was still empty. He considered not going to work, but his wife exhorted him to be honest and go with his empty pot. Now we can all imagine how Jim felt when he got to work that morning and saw all the others with a wide variety of beautiful plants in their pots, while his was the only empty one.

But to cut a long story short, Jim became the next CEO, because the boss had given them all boiled seeds which could not grow. All of them, except Jim, had changed the seeds, that’s how they managed to get such beautiful plants.

And the moral of the story is that Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring back the seed the boss had given them. Please pay special attention to that story my brethren, because you can find yourself in such a situation at any time.

Now hear these universal truths about planting. ‘If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends. If you plant humility, you will reap greatness. If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment. If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest. So be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you reap later.’

And Friends, those are words of absolute and incomparable truth! Whatever we sow, at some later date, we will surely reap the same thing. It’s as simple as that. So please let’s be very careful in what we sow, because the consequences of negative sowing can be very disheartening and destructive.

And Bruh Paul continues to the Galatians. ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (do not lose heart). As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’ (Gal.6:9-10)

And we’ll end with this paraphrase of 1 Peter. ‘We are the grass that will wither and die, but the incorruptible seed of God’s Word will live forever – sow it daily into the life of your family.’ (1 Pet.1:23-25)

And that’s wonderful advice my people. So please let’s get wise and just do it nuh, for it will greatly benefit us as individuals, our families and the world in which we live. Much LOVE!

…if one wants to reap a good and plentiful harvest…then one needs to plant good and plentiful seeds…simple logic…

 

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 June 2015 Ephesians 2:8‏‏

15 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 2:8.  For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Oh Friends, unfortunately the two big days off for the weekend are now over… And I hear a loud ‘Steups!’ in response. (smile)

That means today is Monday…yes Monday, and we need to get ourselves up and out to labour for another week, so that we can earn some money, often a pittance, to try and lead a half-decent life.

We all know it’s not the ideal scenario, but it’s what we have, so let’s just get over ourselves, stop the pity parties, the whining and complaining and rise to the occasion as Jesus desires of us. And remember that if you abuse the weekend, you won’t be fit for anything come Monday morning. So enough with the sermon, (smile) instead let’s belt our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with a whole lot of vim and vigour.

All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’

Oh chuh people! That was a rather hoarse, half-hearted and off-key rendition! Jesus wasn’t thrilled at all. You could see Him shaking His head all through it, while His face bore an unhappy, puzzled ‘what else can I do eh?’ expression.

Anyway Friends, it’s too late to worry about that now. Hopefully though, just singing it boosted our adrenalin output and put a li’l pep in our step, enabling us to go out and do a good job in Jesus’ name.

We also need to remember quite clearly from whence all our blessings flow; from Almighty God. And one of the biggest blessings, if not the biggest, ever to befall mankind is enshrined in our Bit. ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:’

Mama Mia! I can’t help but say it Friends – what a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve and worship! And there should be NO DOUBT whatsoever about that, just judging from the fact that He gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for our disgusting sins. Has any of the other supposed gods ever done anything like that? Obviously not, because they are all dead, inanimate, ephemeral objects. But the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the ONE AND ONLY TRUE LIVING GOD!

And all God’s people shouted a loud and lusty: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Yes Friends, our God is a true living and breathing Being, who sees and knows all that goes on in our world.

Now let’s turn to some provocative scriptures that deal with grace. And one of the most famous ones occurs when Bruh Paul asks the Lord three times to take away ‘the thorn in his flesh.’ But the Lord’s response is certainly interesting. ‘And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ (2 Cor.12:9)

Yes my people, in our weaknesses God’s power is demonstrated, for when we are unable to bear up in our own strength, God’s grace pulls us through. Please remember that in times of weakness and frailty. He doesn’t always solve our problems, but He ALWAYS gives us the wherewithal, the grace to handle them in our weakness.

Now hear what Bruh Paul says later on to the Ephesians, re the new life in Christ. ‘Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.’ (Eph.4:29)

Ah mih people, are we following those wise words of advice? I certainly hope so, because it is imperative that our words lift up, benefit those who hear them. We can’t expect others to come to Jesus if our words are negative and self-serving.

Then to the Colossians, he says: ‘Walk in wisdom toward them that are without (outside), redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.’ (Col.4:5-6)

And the scholars offer these explanations on those verses. ‘4:5. Paul turns from his responsibilities for evangelism (v.3-4) to the Colossians’ evangelistic duties (v.5-6). They are to walk in wisdom or “live wisely” in their relations toward them that are without, that is, unbelievers. Redeeming the time is to make the most of every opportunity. They are to seize every opportunity to display wise behaviour toward the unsaved and to use it as a chance for witnessing.’

And yuh know what Friends? Those same sentiments apply to us in these worrisome and difficult times.

‘4:6. An example of wise conduct (v.5) is daily speech that is gracious (with grace) in nature. Such speech is to be seasoned with salt, that is, characterized by the wisdom of verse 5. Gracious, wise conversation will enable the Colossians to know how to answer every man when speaking to him about the gospel.’

That also applies to us today my brethren! 

And we’ll end with Bruh Paul’s words to the Thessalonians. ‘Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath LOVED us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish (establish) you in every good word and work.’ (2 Thess.2:16-17) 

Oh Friends, I wish those exact sentiments upon us all today, as we go out into the crazy world to live and work for Jesus. Much LOVE!

…grace…the totally unmerited favour of God…given to totally undeserving men…a true and wonderful testimony…of God’s great LOVE for us…

 

 

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 June 2015 Ephesians 2:8‏

14 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 2:8.    For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Well Friends, it’s Sunday. What are your plans for this first day of the week? Whatever they are, I hope it includes going to the Lord’s sanctuary to praise and worship Him with other believers, for that’s the Lord’s will for us.

And it doesn’t matter whether the sanctuary is a large church, a small hovel, or as our service will be today, outside under a large spreading tree, next to a river in a Provincial Park, surrounded by the beauty of nature. That’s all dependent on the weather though, because some rain has been forecasted for sometime during the night.

So Friends, it doesn’t really matter where, or how many people are there to worship. What did Jesus say on the subject? ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name; there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt.18:20) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren, for Jesus is ever-faithful, He keeps ALL His promises. So getting together and fellowshipping with other believers is our number ONE PRIORITY for today. Please, let’s make sure we fulfill it.

Now let’s get right into our Bit, because we have a lot of scripture and scholars’ explanations to get through today. (smile) ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:’

Yes my people, it is only because of God’s great LOVE for us that we’re not heading to hell and damnation, but to salvation and eternal life in heaven.  Let’s make sure we understand very clearly; salvation and eternal life with Christ has nothing to do with our personal efforts, because there is nothing we can ever do to deserve salvation. It’s all about God granting us His free gift of grace.

And now that we’ve understood that, let’s check out some scriptures on the intricate and intriguing attribute of grace. (smile) And we’ll start with Bruh Paul’s words which lead up to our Bit. He’s trying to explain to the Ephesians the attributes of faith and grace.

‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ, (by grace ye are (have been) saved;) And hath raised us together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through (in) Christ Jesus.’ (Eph.2:4-7) What a magnificent God we serve and worship my brethren!

Now hear these explanations from the scholars. ‘2:4-6. But begins to disclose God’s response to man’s sin of verses 1-3. This divine response is expressed in three main verbs: (1) God…hath quickened us. Because they were morally dead in sins, the Lord gave them spiritual life; (2) and hath raised us up together, that is, God has not allowed these Christians to remain in the grave of their old life with its sinful ways and habits, but He brought them into a new life and demonstration of it; and (3) God made us sit together in heavenly places, that is, He has brought us into His presence and into an intimate relationship with Himself.’

‘2:7. That…he might show (or, demonstrate): This denotes the ultimate purpose for all that God did for the Ephesians in verses 4-6. It is that throughout eternity He might make us understand more and more His goodness to us.’

Ah mih people, that’s some relatively heavy stuff, but we need to take our time and read, mark and inwardly digest it, because it’s all for our benefit.

And we’ll turn now to Romans 6, where Bruh Paul is talking about freedom from sin’s power. He opens the chapter thus: ‘What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid (certainly not). How shall we that are dead (who died) to sin, live any longer therein?’ (Rom.6:1-2)

And the scholars offer these explanations. ‘6:1. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? If sin generates grace, should we encourage sin in order to cause more grace to be granted?’

‘6:2. God forbid (Gr. me genoito): Perish the thought; may it never be; don’t even think that way. This expression of unthinkable horror occurs in Paul’s epistles more than 60 times. He uses it whenever the thought suggested is too repugnant to entertain. Sin is singular in this verse and throughout this chapter. It refers to the sin nature.’

Now later on in the same chapter, where He’s trying to make them understand that Christians are under grace, the Spirit’s law, he declares. ‘For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the (religious) law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid (certainly not). Know ye not that to whom ye yield (present) yourselves servants to obey, his servants (slaves) ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

But God be thanked, that (though) ye were the servants (slaves) of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered (entrusted to) you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.’ (Rom.6:14-18)

Some more heavy stuff Friends, but it’s time we stop drinking only milk and eat some solid food. (smile)

And the scholars offer these explanations. ‘6:15. Shall we sin? Paul now asks a slightly different question than he did previously. In 6:1 he sought to correct any misunderstanding as to the relationship of the believer to grace. Now he wishes to correct any misunderstanding that might arise as to the believer’s relation to the law. Neither the submission to the former, nor release from the latter, is to be construed as an encouragement to sin.’  

I hope we all got that my people? Neither submission to grace or release from the law is to be construed as encouragement to sin! Right ho!

‘6:17. That form of doctrine (lit. “pattern of teaching”) which resulted in their conversion. Doctrine profoundly affects one’s life. The life tells the type of doctrine that has shaped it.’

‘6:18. The believer is not free to do whatever he wants. He is free only to do that which is consistent with the character of God. True freedom is freedom from sin.’

And please remember that my Friends. Now let’s seriously ponder the grace-filled stuff that we’ve read today, then try to put it into action with God’s help nuh, so that we can attain to godly wisdom. Much LOVE!

…only by believing in Jesus…and walking sincerely and consistently with His Spirit…can one be freed from sin…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 June 2015 Nehemiah 8:10b

11 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

Nehemiah 8:10b.    …for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Oh Friends, I’ve got such a joy deep down in my soul this Thursday morning in June that I just can’t contain it! Wow! That joy just makes me feel like shouting out to the world what God has done for me! And I surely hope that you’re feeling the same way too, for that’s the beauty and benefit of being a true believer!

Oh my people, I’m talking about His unconditional LOVE, His constantly available grace and never-ending mercy, then the beautiful essence of forgiveness… and don’t even talk about salvation and eternal life! Oh my my! And what shall we say to the biggest blessing of all eh; His wonderful Son, Jesus Christ, our Leader, Lord and Saviour!

Mama Mia! What an awesome Deity we serve and worship my brethren! So how can we ever doubt or believe that the great God who created us, doesn’t LOVE and care for us eh? Steups!

What more has He got to do my brethren before we can comfortably and assuredly put our entire trust in him, to completely surrender our souls, minds and bodies to His superior guidance through the work and presence of His Holy Spirit?

I really don’t know what it will realistically take for the numerous unbelievers and backsliders to truly understand what this life is all about nuh, one controlled by the mighty but magnanimous hand of Almighty God.

Ah Friends, we’re such small-minded doubters and disbelievers that it isn’t funny. So much so that even if God did miracles in our lives every day, we’d still have doubts and refuse to believe. But here’s the good news Friends, we, a relatively small band of true believers are here to change the world, we’re going to make a radical difference.

And the best way to do that is by living lives honouring God, giving Him all the glory. And don’t think that we can’t do it because we’re too few, for if we listen to this quote by Margaret Mead (1901-1978) the famous American cultural anthropologist, we’ll see that it’s very possible.

‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’

Gospel truth that, my people! Whatever serious changes that’s ever been wrought in our world have always been by a relatively small group of its population, and with the awesome power of Jesus riding shotgun with us… Oh my Friends, all and everything is possible!

And believe you me, that’s exactly what Jesus is calling us to do; to bring some radical changes to this wicked and godless world by spreading the good news of His gospel that’s overflowing with the most important elements of PEACE and LOVE, FORGIVENESS, MERCY, GRACE, SALVATION and ETERNAL LIFE!

And all God’s people joyfully shouted out: ‘All praise, honour and glory be to the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God of heaven and earth, Creator and Controller of the universe and all therein!’

Now Friends, joy is something that’s always supposed to be in the spirit of the believer. As such, we therefore need to continually remember the words of our Bit: …for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

Yes my people, without God’s joy coursing through our spirits, we are weaklings. That’s why Lucifer is always trying to steal our joy, because then he knows he can get his evil claws into us without too much effort.  

And if you listen to Jesus when He was talking to the disciples about the vine and the branches, you’d hear Him say to them. ‘These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.’ (John 15:11) It’s obvious my people that we do need the joy found in Jesus to be able to live this earthly life fully and to be obedient to His will.

Then later on He said to the disciples: ‘Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.’ (John 16:24) Yes my brethren, the joy of God is ever so important in a believer’s life. Without it, we’re powerless to resist the wiles of the enemy.

All through the Bible there are passages which proclaim the importance of godly joy in our lives. Let’s check out a couple of them. Listen to Elihu as he reasons with Job, re God’s calling on men to repent.

‘He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him (delight in him): and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto (restore to) man his righteousness.’ (Job 33:26) Joy in the Lord is ever so important my brethren.

Now hear Bruh David from Psalm 16, where he’s seeking preservation and blessing. He ends it thus: ‘Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps.16:11) And isn’t that absolute truth? It surely is! For once the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding us, there will be joy in our souls.

Meanwhile, Isaiah, in his thanksgiving for God’s mercies, puts it this way. ‘And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings (deeds) among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout (with joy), thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.’ (Is.12:1-6)

Yes Friends, that’s how a nation, a people behaves when the joy of the Lord is amongst them. And we’ll end with a few words from John, from his first epistle. ‘And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.’ (1 John 1:4)

And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘1:4. The major purpose of 1 John is stated in 5:13 (please look it up), but another purpose is stated here: for the recipients, and no doubt John as well, to enjoy and share in the deep sense of satisfaction and purpose that knowing Christ and walking with Him brings.’

Oh my fellow believers, that is indeed the gospel truth! And we’ll leave us this morning to each ponder our walk with Jesus, to see exactly how it is proceeding, and to strengthen it when and where necessary, with God’s help. Much LOVE!

…one can never fully appreciate the joy of walking with Jesus…until one really and truly walks with Jesus…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 June 2015 Psalm 37:5‏

04 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 37:5.     Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Welcome Friends to a terrific Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and another beautiful day in the annals of history! (Smile) Yes, it does look like a gorgeous day out there, lots of sunshine, though a mite chilly to begin, but will get up to about 20 degrees later on. I can certainly live with that.

So what’s happening with our lives today eh? I do hope that we have positive, godly purposes to pursue, and that we will pursue them diligently and with excellence as our Lord and Saviour and Leader Jesus desires. That ought to be the hallmark of a Christian my brethren; excellence and diligence in all that we do.

Now here’s an interesting little ditty from the One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. This one’s titled ‘WHEN I AM WITH YOU.’ And it says: ‘When I am with You, Lord It is as though I were given A cup of cool water Dipped from An ever-flowing Never-ceasing stream.

The water glistens As a piece of clear ice Tingles against The side of my cup. I want to drink More And more And more As though I could Never drink enough – And yet while I drink I am satisfied completely.   What a strange and beautiful Paradox!’

Wow Friends, what a paradox indeed! But that’s what happens when you are immersed in Jesus Christ! All sorts of unlikely but good things happen, for Jesus is not limited to the natural powers and things of this world. He has supernatural powers to do whatever He wants.

That’s why He can make this promise to which that ditty is attached. ‘Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ (John 4:14 NIV)

And that’s the absolute truth my people. That’s why our Bit is so important to all believers, especially in these difficult days. ‘Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.’

That’s another absolute truth my brethren! Our wonderful, gracious and magnanimous God will never abdicate or abuse the trust we place in Him, for He is ever-faithful and can accomplish whatever purposes or promises He needs to. There’s no deceit or guile whatsoever in Him.

That’s why Bruh David could faithfully proclaim in Psalm 55 – The cry against deceitful friends: ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken). (Ps.55:22)

What glorious, wonderful, soul enhancing and encouraging words my people! But it won’t happen until and unless we truly believe it and then put it into action. Remember the Lord has already provided us with everything we need to navigate this evil world, but we now have to accept the challenges, call up the things we need, and use them to spread His Word and glorify His Holy Name, for those are our avowed purposes on this earth.

And if by chance you didn’t believe Bruh David, listen to the Rock, Peter, expound on the subject. ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet.5:6-7)

And Friends, if anybody should know first-hand about the Lord’s caring, it is Peter, for Jesus showed it to him in so many ways during their sometimes rocky relationship. So if He can show care and compassion to an often troublesome soul like Peter, why wouldn’t he show it to you and I eh?

No reason whatsoever my brethren! But first we have to place that total surrender and faithful trust in Him. Listen to how Cousin Sol puts it in Proverbs, while dealing with moral, ethical and spiritual precepts. ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov.16:3)

The literal translation goes something like: ‘Roll thy works on the Lord.’ But any which way we put it Friends, we desperately need to commit whatever we do to Almighty God so that it can prosper and bear good fruit. If we don’t, there’s no guarantee that it will bear any fruit at all, much less good fruit, which is what we’re supposed to bear.

Ah mih brethren, it’s so sad to see every day a whole bunch of people placing their trust either in Beelzebub, meaning the things of this world, or themselves, neither of which can do anything really meaningful. I don’t understand how we can be moving away from God in such droves, when He is the One who caused us to be prosperous and successful in the first place.

Pride and arrogance my Friends are the most destructive forces in our world. Having attained a level of knowledge, sophistication and technology like never seen before on earth, we have become so full of ourselves, falsely thinking that it was our efforts alone which brought us to the pinnacle of success that we have achieved.

But please notice too my people, that the more we remove God from our lives and our societies, the more we and our societies are finding life difficult with many of both crumbling to the dust from which they were formed.

You have to give credit to the Jews of olden times, for whenever they achieved a modicum of prosperity and then went their own way rejoicing, they felt the backlash of God and eventually repented and returned to His wonderful fold.

However this current society is so full of itself that we won’t even consider going back to God as an option, though we’re seeing all our supposed great societies floundering dreadfully in the mire through following the haphazard, evil and deceitful plans of the great deceiver Lucifer.

And we’ll end with these powerful words which plainly show what’s possible when we deal faithfully with Jehovah God. This deals with the stuff that Cousin Sol asked for when the Lord anointed him king of Israel. Because he didn’t ask for material stuff, but for wisdom and understanding to justly rule the people, see what the Lord did.

‘Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour: so that there shall not be any (anyone) among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.’ (1 Kin.3:12-14)

Yes Friends that’s the kind of thing our God does when we come to Him in trust and true reverence. And I implore us to do that this very day, so that both our earthly and heavenly lives will benefit substantially from it, for that’s the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!

…to put our entire trust in our sovereign God…that is the wisest thing a human being can do…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 June 2015 Romans 8:1‏

01 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

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

Romans:8:1.     There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Well Friends, that wonderful day we call Monday has rolled around once again! Wow!

And yuh know what? I’ve just finished reading the obits and I didn’t see any of our names there. That means we’re still alive and kicking and the Lord still has wonderful plans for our earthly lives! Glory Be! Yes mih people, all glory to our wonderful God and Heavenly Father!

And I do hope that when we got up we gave Him some much appreciated thanks for getting us safely through the night and asked for His safety and guidance as we begin another week of work.

And all you sourpusses out there, who are still miserable and complaining when Monday comes, wake up and be wise nuh. There’s not much we can do about it, so we might as well accept it as a fait accompli, a fact of life and get with the programme. (smile) You’re only making yourself and those around you miserable unnecessarily.

And now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, (smile) let’s get to singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn which is guaranteed to get our spirits up and our adrenalin running.  As one big choir now, with much gusto and plenty chutzpah:

‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’

Now that was most excellent Friends! One of the best renditions we’ve done in long while. Our august choirmaster Jesus, was very proud of us, so much so that He even high-fived the Father, saying with a big grin, ‘That’s my people!’ (smile) Yes Friends, that sort of thing goes on in heaven when we do excellently down here on earth.

So let’s get out there and work diligently and faithfully on Jesus’ behalf nuh, so that we can raise some more joy in heaven. And all God’s people said a loud and sincere: ‘Yes, let’s do it!’

But you know what my brethren? Before we can do ought for Jesus, we have to first read, mark, believe, digest and put our Bit into practice. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’

That’s the absolute truth! We are powerless until we truly believe that our sins have been paid for by the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross. That means we have been set free from the bondage of sin and are no longer condemned. The Father no longer considers us unseemly outcasts, but prodigal children who have finally come to their senses and have returned to the family home.

Obviously He welcomes us with open arms and there is much celebration in heaven when a wayward child returns to the roost.  But then we have to learn to give up the old lifestyle we originally embraced and take up the new one that’s prescribed by Jesus. That’s walking not after the things of the flesh, the lusts of this world, but being led and guided by the Holy Spirit of Almighty God which comes to indwell us when we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour. 

Oh my people, living for Jesus, resisting and rejecting the evil, as well as the material and worthless things of the world, is not an easy row to hoe, but believe me, the rewards are well worth the effort.

Now let’s look at some scripture that ties in admirably with our Bit. This is Bruh Paul writing earlier on in the epistle to the Romans. ‘Now if we be dead (died) with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once (once and for all): but that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Likewise reckon ye (consider) also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through (in) Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield (present) ye your members as instruments (weapons) of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield (present) yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments (weapons) of righteousness unto God.’ (Rom.6:8-13)  

Yeh Friends, I know that’s a mouthful from Bruh Paul, but here are some explanations from the scholars. ‘6:11. Reckon (Gr. logizesthe, “reckon, take into account, calculate”). The believer is to calculate all the facts as to his identification with Christ and his separation from sin, then live accordingly.’

‘6:12. Let not (lit, “stop letting”). The believer is to stop letting sin have mastery over his life.’ ‘6:13. Neither yield ye (lit. “stop presenting”): In the day to day confrontation with sin, stop giving in. But yield (lit. “present yourselves”): Paul calls for a determined commitment.’

Ah Friends, we all know that the things of the world are bright and flashy and tend to attract and drive our sinful nature, but if we want to be true disciples of Jesus, we have to make a special effort to reject sin and all that it stands for. And our God is so wonderful and well organized that He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in us to enable us to do it.

The problem though is that we have to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, because He will not force His will on us. That means it’s up to us to get serious and buckle down to the bidding of the Holy Spirit, if we’re to be truly children of God. Let’s wake up to right thinking and right living nuh my people, for that is indeed wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!

…humans struggle with two natures…one that tends toward sin and the things of the world…and another that looks to righteousness and the things of God…the latter is by far the much better one to adopt…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 May 2015 James 4:8‏‏

30 May 2015 Leave a comment

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

James 4:8.     Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. 

And then it was Saturday; a supposedly rainy day. But who knows eh? We’ve been promised some showers of blessing for the longest while, but we haven’t seen hide nor hair of heavenly water for at least two, possibly three weeks in my area. It’s been cloudy at times, but not even rain-clouding dark, and the strong winds we’ve recently been having have blown those wispy rain clouds away. (smile)

They remind me of the story of Elijah when he prayed for rain in Israel. On the seventh time Elijah’s servant went to see if any rain was in the offing per Elijah’s prayers, he came back and reported: ‘Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.’ (1 Kin.18:44)

That was the beginning of an abundance of rain for Israel, but no such luck for us. Anyway, it’s still pretty early in the morning to despair, for with our God’s omnipotent powers anything can happen at any time,  in the blink of an eye.

But here’s an interesting general prayer that we can say every morning when we arise. It’s attributed to Norman Grubb (1895-1993), a British Christian missionary, writer and theological teacher. Please pray with me. ‘Good morning, Christ. I LOVE you! What are you up to today? I want to be a part of it! Thank you, God. Amen!’

Now my people, isn’t that simple and straight to the point? It certainly is. And it does help to get you connected with the Father as soon as you get up, before any evil and negative thoughts can enter your still fragile and not wide awake mind and spoil your day. And that’s all it takes Friends, something short and to the point to get us running on the correct spiritual track.

But before we can get to that, we first have to put into operation the words of our Bit, where we’re born again and can have that kind of ongoing relationship with Almighty God. ‘Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.’

Yes my people, it’s of the utmost importance that we have a close personal relationship with the Father, through the Son, Jesus Christ, while being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And we can only do that by repenting of our sins, cleansing our hearts and turning over a new leaf, becoming a new creation in Christ.

Now listen to how Peter deals with the matter. ‘Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (sincere) LOVE of the brethren, see that ye LOVE one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible (perishable) seed, but of incorruptible (imperishable), by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

For all flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the (spoken) word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.’ (1 Pet.1:22-25)

Yes Friends, Peter is there repeating the words of Isaiah 40:6-8, where  mankind is likened to the grass that sprouts up bright and fresh in the morning, but soon withers and dies, especially when the hot sun beats down on it. And that’s the absolute truth!

But unlike that short-lived grass, the word of our Creator lives for ever, through the gospel being preached throughout the earth; the good news of his Son Jesus Christ, who was sacrificed for us on Calvary’s cross, then rose again in glory and ascended to heaven, where He now sits on the right hand of the Father, advocating for us.

Wow! What an omnipotent, but magnanimous God we serve and worship my brethren! It just can’t get any better than that, though a lot of us seem to think otherwise. But as I keep saying Friends, refusing to accept God’s grace and mercy and His free offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, which ultimately leads to eternal life, is the wisdom of a fool. And there surely are a lot of fools in this evil and ungodly world.

Anyway, enough of my carping, or proselytizing (smile), whichever one catches your fancy, and listen instead to an explanation by the scholars on the topic at hand. ‘1:23. Being born again (lit., “having been born again”) refers to all believers having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, which communicates His offer of salvation to mankind. Thus our salvation rests, from the human perspective, upon OUR willing reception of that offer.’

Yuh see Friends, it all depends on us willingly receiving God’s wonderful offer, that’s why I capitalized and highlighted ‘our’ above. The Lord has done His part by putting the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ on the table, so like any contract that is worthless unless there’s offer and acceptance, we now have the opportunity to accept or reject God’s offer.

However Friends, in this case, rejection of the Lord’s offer will bring disastrous and calamitous consequences, namely eternal separation from Him, and eventual death and damnation. So as far as I can see, with my limited human reasoning powers, accepting God’s offer is the wise thing to do.

I’m therefore urging us to do so as quickly as possible, if possible right now, because the time for Jesus’ return is imminent, and once He returns in majestic splendour and awesome might, that offer will be taken off the table…forever. So please take my wise advice and seriously get involved with Jesus. It will be the best decision you’ve ever made. I guarantee it! Much LOVE!

…to be separated from Christ…for all eternity…is the biggest mistake  a man can make…

 

 

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