Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 March 2014 Proverbs 19:23.

02 Mar 2014 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 19:23.    The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
 
So Friends, what’s new and exciting with you all this Sunday morning eh? And most of us simply shrug our shoulders and mutter ‘nothing.’ Well that’s just not true my people! We are all alive and kicking, been mercifully granted God’s wonderful blessing to see another wonderful day!
 
And that’s despite my area being white as snow – or rather white with snow. And though it’s not yet a great amount, as far as I am concerned, any amount of snow is too much. (smile)
 
Anyway my brethren, just waking up this morning is an exciting event! And if you don’t think so, then please consider the only other option available, not waking up. Now which would you prefer? Yes, most of us definitely prefer the former.
 
So then we need to get with it during the day, work up a li’l energy and excitement about being able to walk and talk, laugh and cry, eat and feel good, play with our children, amongst all the other good things our magnanimous God has provided! Just think about the unlimited possibilities that each day brings nuh! Especially if we’re walking hand in hand, side by side with Jesus.
 
Oh mih breddren, that’s the most exciting part of it all, since we never know where Jesus might lead us, what situation He’ll bring us to, but we’re nonetheless confident in His promise to bring us through each and every one safely! So please don’t ever think that there’s nothing new and exciting in your lives, because for all believers in Jesus, a brand new slate, a brand new canvas is brought out everyday for us to write and paint out life story on for that particular day.
 
And yes, many of us find the same old everyday life occurrences boring, and wish for the big things that we consider exciting. But Friends, that’s just another instance of a fool’s wisdom, for it’s in the mundane, everyday, ordinary things of everyday life that we truly understand what life is all about.
 
Look at Jesus nuh. Everyday of His earthly life He got up early, prayed to the Father, then went out to do the Father’s work. And He was never bored, because he found all sorts of interesting things in the regularity of life. But unfortunately we have been conditioned to expect excitement from big, once in a while happenings or events, which is a fallacy.
 
And as I keep preaching… oops, sorry – as I keep teaching us, until we take a serious interest in, and find excitement in the things of everyday life, we’ll never be happy. That’s because, contrary to worldly wisdom, with our God, excitement is more often found in small, seemingly uneventful things. It’s in the small things of life that we usually see the hand of our God most often.
 
For instance, you go to the mall one busy Saturday afternoon and you dread the idea of having to park a mile away from the mall entrance and then tote and or drag two toddlers all the way back there. But as you drive by the entrance, lo and behold, a parking spot suddenly becomes available!
 
I surely hope you utter a sincere and grateful ‘Thank You Lord!’ because it’s through His grace and mercy that that parking spot became available just as you drove in. And there are a whole lot of little things like that which happen daily in our lives, and in them we need to see the beneficent hand of our heavenly Father working on our behalf. Stop looking for the few and far between big miracles and start noticing the many small ones which occur everyday.
 
And that brings us to our Bit: ‘The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.’
 
Oh my people, wise words indeed from Cousin Sol! As we were just saying, when we have God foremost in our hearts, when we’re walking and talking with Jesus, we tend to be more attuned to and in sync with life, to be more satisfied and contented.
 
As Bruh Paul told the Philippians: ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (regard of need): for I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.’ (Phil.4:11)
 
And that’s gospel truth Friends! When we continually walk with the awe of God in our hearts, we eventually learn to be contented and satisfied in whatever situation we find ourselves.
 
But please note, as the scholars explain: ‘I have learned… to be content: The Greek here suggests that contentment is a lesson learned neither in a classroom or overnight, but through many practical experiences in life.’
 
More gospel truth my brethren! Satisfaction and contentment are learned by going through certain situations repeatedly. And there’s no better way to advance that state of contentment than walking in the fear of God!
 
And even more importantly, when we sincerely reverence God, He puts a shield of protection around us, so that no evil will visit us, develop in our hearts. That doesn’t mean we won’t have trials and tribulations, but whenever trouble comes against us, we won’t be beaten down by it. Instead, we’ll stand steadfast and strong in the Lord’s promise to make everything work for good to those whom He’s called, and who LOVE Him. (Rom.8:28)
 
So Friends and fellow believers, it’s a proven fact that to walk this crazy, troubled, mish-mashed earth in peace and quietness of mind, one needs to constantly walk with the Creator!
 
How did Bruh Paul put it to Timothy? ‘But refuse (reject) profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
 
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that belief.’ (1 Tim.4:7-10)
 
Yes my brethren, godliness is the BEST exercise we can ever commit to on this fallible earth!
 
And we’ll end with some explanations on those verses from the scholars. ‘4:8. The verse may be paraphrased; “For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness, the result of spiritual exercise, has unlimited value, since it brings blessings for both now and eternity.’
 
And on ‘4:10: For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach (or “For we both toil and labour to attain this goal”). That is, Paul and associates exercise themselves spiritually to be godly, so they may realize the promise of abundant life and blessing (v.8). God… is the Saviour of all men in that He has provided salvation for all. But only those that believe are actually saved.’ 
 
And that’s the indisputable truth my people! So please, let’s bring our lives in line with it nuh, so that we too can be considered godly! Much LOVE!
 
…wisdom is constantly crying out to us…fear God…revere God…stay in touch with God…walk everyday and everywhere with God…in other words…acquire godliness…by exercising our spiritual selves…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 June 2013 Luke 1:27

24 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

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

Luke 1:27.    To a virgin espoused (engaged) to man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
 
Oh my beautiful fellow believers in Christ, it’s Monday! It’s also the first Monday in the official summer period of our northern seasons. And what a day it’s forecasted to be; thirty degrees Celsius, with a mixture of sun and rain!
 
So please make sure to put on your sun screen if you plan on being out and about much in the sunshine, but also remember to walk with your trusty umbrella, just in case the rain catches you off guard, because it’s being doing that a lot recently. 
 
I experienced it up to yesterday afternoon. I was getting dressed to go out and it was bright sunshine outside, but some fifteen minutes later though when I emerged, yuh better believe it was raining. 
 
Anyway, since there’s not much we can do about the weather, except dress suitably for it, let’s get up and get our act together. And to put us in a positive and godly state of mind, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with a large dollop of excitement and enthusiasm!
 
As one loud and harmonious voice 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!’
 
There we have it Friends, the catalyst to get us going this Monday Morning!
 
Now here’s our Bit: ‘To a virgin espoused (engaged) to man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.’
 
I’m sure some of you are wondering why I chose that particular scripture for our Bit today, since it’s usually associated with the birth of Jesus at Christmas. But there is indeed method to my madness, my brethren!
 
Earlier on, I was reading an article in the newspaper which stated that recently in Norway, a new and modern version of the Good Book had been printed in the Norwegian language, coinciding with an upsurge in Christian activity in the country. Now that’s certainly wonderful news, but the example of the modern terminology they used in the article certainly didn’t sit well with me. Instead of saying or specifying that Mary, the mother of Jesus was a ‘virgin,’ they chose to refer to her as a ‘young woman.’
 
Ah Lord eh! What’s wrong with us in these supposed modern times eh? We seem to think that everything that’s old has to be changed, wiped out or replaced. And though some of that might be true, in this particular case, nothing could be further from the truth. That’s because Mary’s virginity, her not having laid with a man, is paramount to our Christian beliefs.
 
And though ‘young woman’ in Mary’s day might have conveyed a connotation of virginity, in these times of excessive sexual freedom, it most definitely doesn’t, because the supposed young women are having sex at an earlier and earlier age.
 
Here’s how the scholars put it: ‘One of the historic fundamentals of the faith is the virgin birth of Christ. It begins with the supernatural conception of Jesus Christ in the womb of Mary without the seed of man. The miraculous birth is verified by the statement that she was a virgin when she gave birth to Christ (Matt.1:23-25) By means of the Virgin Birth, Jesus Had the human nature of his mother and the sinless, divine nature of His Father.
 
Illustration: Those who deny the Virgin Birth tend also to deny His deity, so must necessarily question the integrity of the Scriptures. Application: The miracle of the Virgin Birth involved the yieldedness of Mary. This attitude is reflected in her last recorded words, which are a good standard for Christians today, “Whatsoever he (Jesus) saith unto you, do it” (John 2:5) ‘ 
 
And is that ever so true Friends; whatever Jesus tells us to do, we ought to do it!
 
So, having said all of that, it simply means that to those reading the Good Book for the first time in their lives, if they use the new Norwegian version, then they will have no understanding of the great importance of Mary’s virginity to the whole story of Christianity. And that I believe is doing a grave injustice to the both the new readers, as well as the substance and fundamental foundation of our faith. 
 
Anyway, we’ll stop there for today. But both the scholars and I have some more to say on the subject, which hopefully we’ll say tomorrow, the Lord in favour. Till then though my people, let us walk safely under the mighty protective wings of our omnipotent God, diligently doing His will, as we walk steadfastly in our faith, for that’s indeed the measure of our wisdom! Much LOVE!
 
…any attempt to bring God’s Word into the language of the 21st century…MUST ENSURE…that the true meanings are not lost in the translation…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 May 2012 Acts 1:5

29 May 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Acts 1:5.     For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s a bit messed up this morning, both in body and mind, but thankfully all’s well with my basic soul! (smile) My messed up self was caused by having to go into Toronto yesterday on one of the hottest days on record, thirty some degrees. And sadly, my once beloved T.O. is daily becoming a true example of a concrete jungle. All over the city humongous towers of concrete and steel are rising up, to capture the condo market, which doesn’t seem to be slowing down, at exorbitant prices too. The poor already find it difficult to live in the crowded city, soon it will be impossible. This only makes for even more traffic jams, which I unfortunately got caught in on my way home. But you would have been proud of me; I kept my cool, although my right knee and ankle began aching from all the stop and go, brake and gas pedal movement, I listened to some tunes and finally got home about seventy five minutes after I hit the highway, which normally would only have taken about thirty minutes. Then last night my sleep wasn’t the greatest, and this morning my sinuses are acting up some. But all praise to the Good Lord Jehovah and the amazing power of His Holy Spirit, I’m still excited about the Word and the awesome workings of that Spirit which we’ll continue to talk about today! Let’s hope I can put some meaningful stuff together. But then why not, since one of the jobs of the Spirit is to lead and guide the Lord’s people in all activities. So Holy Spirit, I humbly ask You now to move in my lowly spirit, enlighten and enable me to write encouraging truth, so that all who read it will be encouraged in the faith and trust of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen! And what better way to start off than by sharing the wonderful promise of Christ enshrined in our Bit: ‘For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ And we saw that promise faithfully fulfilled on the miraculous Day of Pentecost, some fifty days after Jesus spoke it! Now since the Holy Spirit is like the worker bee in the Trinity, it’s very important that we understand what it’s all about, so I’ll attempt to give us a brief history and explanation of its workings. And the best way to begin seems to be by an explanation of how the Spirit worked before Pentecost. Hear the scholars: ‘Before Pentecost the Holy Spirit’s work had been (1) from without (‘Spirit came upon’); (2) temporary; and (3) exceptional. After Pentecost the Spirit’s work is (1) from within (He indwells – John 7:37-39; 14:17; 1 Cor. 6:19; 1 John 3:24; 4:13); (2) permanent (Rom. 8:9); and (3) normal, involving all (1 Cor.12:12) Under the Old (Mosaic) Covenant, God’s work with Israel had been external, but under the New Covenant, it is internal (Ezek. 36:26-27; Heb.8:9-10) All that simply means Friends, that before Pentecost not everybody was infused with the Holy Spirit. One either had to be exceptionally godly, like the prophets, or chosen to perform some specific task(s) which called for spiritual power. Please read all those scriptures given by the scholars, so that you can become better acquainted with the Spirit’s workings. However, after Pentecost, the Spirit was endowed upon every individual believer in Christ. It then became a universal adjunct to all followers, infusing each and everyone with Christ’s Spirit as He had promised. That brings us to a part of Peter’s great speech on Pentecost, where he quotes the prophet Joel, who prophetically promised the eventual outpouring on all believers. ‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the (men) servants and upon the handmaids (maid servants) in those days will I pour out my spirit.’ (Joel 2:28-29) And as all the promises of God, that one was faithfully fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost! Oh Friends, I just can’t help reminding us of what a generous and LOVING God we serve and worship! And all God’s people cried with a joyful voice: ‘Praise the Lord God of Israel, for His wonderful dealings with the undeserving children of men!’ And we’ll close with another prophetic promise re the Holy Spirit. This one from John the Baptist: ‘I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’ (Matt.3:11) Yes mih people, let’s get excited about Jesus, let the passion for Him burn brightly in our daily lives through the workings of His Spirit, so that others can see Him just shining out of us and come to know and LOVE Him as we do. That’s our bounden duty. More on this tomorrow, if we’re alive and kicking. Till then please, let’s get and keep in touch with the Holy Spirit and let Him lead and guide us as He is supposed to. Much LOVE!…through His Holy Spirit…is Christ manifested in our lives…   P.S. Better late than never, and hope it makes sense. (smile)