The Overwhelming Importance Of Meditating On God’s Word To Ensure A Successful Earthly Life!

15 Feb 2025 Leave a comment

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

Joshua 1:8a.        This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,

And the much forecasted snowstorm for this lazy-day Saturday in the middle of February is here! Yes friends, at midday, it’s already falling out there with a sense of determination. (smile) And like the denizens of the area totally believed that it would come, for the duchess went to the grocery earlier on this morning and complained she’d never seen such long lines everywhere in the store. Everyone seemed to be out, stocking up on stuff for the storm, which the computer says would be at least 10 cm strong. It’s a good thing I’m in recovery mode, so I don’t have to go out there. (smile) 

And it’s such a good time to have a lazy-day Saturday, although I just realized that it’s been ages since we last prayed our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, because a couple of the days we’ve missed have been Saturdays. So please, let’s rectify that now nuh, by sincerely offering up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

As one 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 there’s something about that prayer I just LOVED from the first moment I read it! It’s simple, but contains a whole lot of emotion and longing for God. And as always, if our prayer was sincere, we’ll soon be feeling that welcome sense of peace and calm reinvigorating our souls, bodies and spirits, for the Lord cannot help but positively answer such heartfelt prayers from His people. 

That’s why it’s ever so necessary, in these times of chaos and disaster to stick with the Lord God Jehovah, the One who created us and still LOVES and controls us. But to do that successfully, we have to read, and meditate on His Word, accept His Son Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and allow His Holy Spirit that indwells us to lead and guide our earthly lives. That’s the only way to successful earthly living. 

The Lord Himself spelt it out to Joshua in that first chapter when He made him leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses, and gave him the tough, unenviable task of leading His people into the Promised Land.  And I believe that right now, it would do us a whole lot of good if we read, remembered and reminisced on these most provocative and productive words of our great God. 

Please read with me. The Lord said to Joshua: ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success or act wisely) whithersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:7) Yuh see that friends, it’s of the utmost importance that we stay on the chosen path of God, and not turn either way from it, if we truly desire to be successful in this mortal life. 

But that’s not all. The Lord continues to whisper in Joshua’s ear (smile) ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (shall be constantly in thy mouth); but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh 1:8) 

And our God is so good to us that He shows us how not to turn from His law; that’s by meditating on it day and night, constantly speaking, reading, and thinking on it. That way we will not stray from His chosen path and then have good success. It’s an eternal promise! And if we don’t achieve it, it’s because of our lack of understanding and following of His faithful principle: meditating on His Word and doing what it says. 

Remember what James said? ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.’ (James 2:17) That means you can have all the faith in the world, know the Word from cover to cover, but if you don’t put it to work, action it in your life, then it’s worthless. For good intentions are good, but they do not soothe or quiet or uplift the spirt, body or soul, only worthwhile actions do that! 

But I’m chuckling here, and I do so every time I read this scripture about Joshua and the Lord. Joshua might have thought the Lord was finished after giving him those two strong verses, but he was sadly mistaken, because the Lord further reinforced them with this most beautiful encouragement. ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh. 1:9) 

Oh my people, what a wonderful piece of scripture; one filled with such promise that even if we knew nothing else, that would be sufficient for us to have prosperity in and with our wonderful God! But for us to do our best, we need to get the whole picture and put it into worthwhile action; That’s meditating on God’s Word, not straying from His path and having strong faith in His awesome and most faithful promises to lead and guide us in the right way. 

And there’s no better time to begin doing that than right now on this lazy-day Saturday. As the snow falls in quiet peace on the land, let’s turn to God’s Word and allow it to bring that same kind of quiet peace and calm to our lives. It’s our heritage as believers in Christ Jesus! Much LOVE!

…only by knowing and putting the Lord’s Word into action…can a successful earthly life be accomplished…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 December 2022 Nehamiah 8:10.

17 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

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

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

What a great day to be alive my people! And some of you might beg to differ because it’s cold, cloudy, icy and snowy. But that’s just our physical circumstances and we can always handle those, sometimes on our own, but always with the help of Jesus. Otherwise, it’s just great to have the breath of life flowing through us, to enjoy all the things that the Lord has created for us to enjoy and know that our names are not written in the obits. (smile) And today is the epitome of what a lazy Saturday ought to look like, when one won’t venture out unless it’s absolutely necessary. (smile) 

Well, I’ve used up all my allotted laziness, lying in bed for most of the morning, (smile) so now I have to get right to the Lord’s work on the Bit. And since today is Saturday, it means looking at the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first quote says: ‘When you are imagining, you might as well imagine something worthwhile.’ 

Now, that’s not rocket science but basic common sense. For with the great power of imagination that God’s placed in us, where we can imagine basically anything, why would we ever consider imagining anything that’s not worthwhile eh? Technically speaking we shouldn’t, but it seems to depend on the way our minds are conditioned, which means some things that are worthwhile to some, won’t be worthwhile to others. And the obvious example is what’s worthwhile to Satan’s followers will not be worthwhile to the followers of Jesus. 

That brings us to the next quote which tells us: ‘The moment where you doubt you can fly, you cease for ever being able to do it.’ There again we have the power of the imagination coming into play. And for sure, if you start doubting that you can fly, or do much of anything, you will lose some of the ability to do it, because being able to do stuff is tightly bound up in believing that we can do it. I don’t know if you will lose the ability for ever, but hopefully if you start believing again, you will regain some, if not all of that flying power. 

Then there’s this: ‘What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.’ Now I’m not sure what that quote means nuh. I understand that our past and present are usually inferior to our future, but what does it mean by what lies inside of us? If greatness lies within us, then we will surely do greater things in our future than we’re currently doing. The only greater thing that I can fathom that lies within us is the Holy Spirit of Jesus which indwells all believers. But even if that’s what the quote means, then surely, with the Spirit of Christ living in us, as we mature, grow in faith, our actions will become better as time goes on. 

And I just LOVE this next quote: ‘Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Happiness is never decreased by being shared! In fact, it increases when shared. But let’s talk about joy rather than happiness nuh, because happiness depends too much on our circumstances, while joy is like an ever-flowing river, not bothered by our circumstances. And where do we get that joy that’s not bothered by our circumstances? Obviously from our Lord God Almighty, as the Good Book reminds us: ‘for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) 

Oh friends, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ expects His followers to share the joy that He’s brought to our lives with others; to light the blessed candles of joy in others, so that they too can come to know that He is the way, the truth and the life, and no one gains real happiness, or joy without being associated with Him! And what’s this ‘joy of the Lord,’ you ask? It’s been characterized thus: ‘The joy of the Lord is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.’ 

And there are many scriptures that speak of it, but we only have time and space for a few. Listen to Christ Himself as He speaks to the disciples. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.’ (John 15:11) Yes friends, one of the things that come from believing in Christ and being obedient to His commandments is the outpouring of joy in one’s soul. And John wrote the same thing in his first epistle when he reassures the believers in the truth of salvation and eternal life. ‘And these things I write unto you, that your joy may be full.’ (1 John 1:4) 

As the scholars say, John wants the recipients of his writings to ‘enjoy and share in the deep sense of satisfaction and purpose that knowing Christ and walking with him brings.’ The same thing applies to us today my faithful brethren. We ought to get a deep sense of satisfaction and purpose from knowing Christ and walking with Him. 

That brings us to our last quote. ‘As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.’ And is that ever so true! It’s also what Christ’s church and individual believers are suffering greatly from in these turbulent and difficult times. We talk a good talk, but don’t sufficiently walk the walk that talk expects. 

As James so rightly says: ‘But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding (observing) his natural face in a glass (mirror). For he beholdeth (sees) himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty (the teachings of Christ), and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (in what he does).’ (James 1:22-25) 

Yes friends, we do have a tendency of looking at ourselves as good people, but soon forget it and then do things contrary to that nature. And James continues with our contrariness in the next chapter, when he says: ‘What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked, and destitute of daily food. And one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed, be ye filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath no works, is dead, being alone…show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.’ (James 2:14-18) 

Ah my fellow saints, in this strife filled world so many are in desperate need of daily bread, and so many of us are in a position to provide for them, but we’re not doing a good enough job at it. We are allowing the selfishness and greed of this world to make us hardhearted, instead of tender-hearted like Christ expects of us. Please, let’s look at ourselves in the mirror today and remember what kind of person we truly ought to be, as faithful believers in Christ Jesus. Much LOVE!

…you can’t be a Christian…if you’re joyless…and have a heart of stone… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 August 2022   Matthew 23:28.

26 Aug 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 23:28.      Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity (lawlessness).

And what do we say on this cloudy Friday morning, the last one in August of 2022? ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! The weekend’s here and we’re alive and kicking!’ Yes friends, we are ever so glad to be alive on another momentous day, where a brand new batch of God’s mercies and compassions have been formulated and dispensed once again for us to enjoy. (smile) What a wonderful God we serve my people! 

However, I don’t believe we show Him enough LOVE and gratitude for all that He’s done, is doing, and has promised to do for us, otherwise our good ship, namely our world, would not be listing so badly towards the devil and his dark and evil ways. The name and wonderful ways of Jesus Christ ought to be leading the world instead of Satan’s evil ugliness. And we only have ourselves to blame for that, since we don’t do His work, and sincerely proclaim His name as much as we ought to. 

And this most appropriate verse jumped out at me just now when I went looking for a scripture to prove my point. It’s Jesus talking to the multitudes during the Sermon on the Mount, where He declares to them, in no uncertain fashion: ‘For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case (by no means) enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matt. 5:20). 

Now, In Jesus’ day, that was a very damning remark against those groups of leaders, since they were looked upon as the most religious people in all of Israel. However, their religiosity was largely outward show, with little or no inward sincerity. That’s why Jesus also had more scathing words for them: ‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres (tombs), which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity (lawlessness).’ (Matt. 23:27-28) 

Wow! I believe those are some of Jesus’ most vitriolic words, and imagine that nuh, they were spoken to the religious leaders of the day. And if Jesus says it’s so, then it was obviously so! (smile) But before we continue, here’s an interesting tidbit on the subject from the scholars. They say of the term ‘Whited sepulchres: Since contact with a dead body rendered a person unclean under the Mosaic Law, graves were customarily painted white to make them conspicuous and give the opportunity of avoiding contact with them.’ 

So, we see where Jesus got the concept from, and how appropriate it was to the leaders, as well as understandable to His listeners. Now, getting back to the hypocrisy and iniquity of the scribes and Pharisees, we are currently seeing the same sort of hypocritical behaviour from a large portion of the supposed Christian population, especially in the leadership realm. Every day there’s some sort of scandal about a religious leader, and not of any one denomination either, but in almost all of them. 

Now how can that kind of scandalous behaviour work for the benefit of Christ eh? It certainly can’t! That’s why so many people are turning away from Christ and laughing in the face of Christianity. And we the ordinary congregants are no better than our leaders, because we also talk a good spiritual talk, but our actual walk is also rather hypocritical; we don’t do what we say, or what we advise others to do. We put on a good show, but almost always, that’s all it ever is, nothing but a show! 

That means we are no better than the scribes and Pharisees of old. and that’s why Christ’s movement is not further ahead than that of Satan! We supposed believers ought to be standing up strong and steadfast against the world’s evil doers and doings, but more often than not, we are instead cowering in fear of what the world can do to us, or in cahoots with the world, enjoying its lusts and pleasures, or we simply don’t care and thus do nothing. But please remember that to do nothing IS to do something, just not something useful for whatever cause you believe in! 

And just think about this for a moment nuh…what kind of people are we, how can we claim to believe in Christ Jesus and yet do so little to acclaim His name, but so much to bring shame and disgrace to it? And yet we still expect Him to positively answer our prayers and problems. Hn! It seems we believe that our God is there to placate our every whim and fancy, but the truth is, we have been made to satisfy His desires, and if we don’t, then we’ll pay the consequences. It’s as simple as that. And believe me, there will be serious, life changing consequences for our hypocritical, two-faced behaviour, unless we smarten up right away and begin doing what we know we should be doing. End of sermon! 

Now let’s go to God through our Friday Chant and ask for His divine help and forgiveness. As one sincere voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

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

Now, for our sakes, but more so, those of our children, let’s wake up and do the right things nuh, because our progeny will pay the price for our unrighteousness. Much LOVE!

…instead of talking our faith…let’s show it instead by our sincere works nuh…for faith without works is dead… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 April 2021 Isaiah 11:3.

13 Apr 2021 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 11:3.     ​The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Oh friends, it’s Tuesday! Give thanks and praises unto our wonderful God that He has blessed us with another beautiful and bountiful day on planet earth; His beautiful universe! What a wonderful God we serve my faithful brethren! There’s no other deity like Him in this evil and godless world, and every day He gives us the strength to do whatever He needs us to do. No other supposed deity does that either. 

So why shouldn’t we praise and worship and glorify Him eh, since we know from practical experience that He’s a great and good God? No reason whatsoever! That’s why I think this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin is ever so appropriate for today, any day really. (smile) It’s titled‘Only Goodness.’What a wonderful title! 

So please pray with me. ‘What glorious words of wonder Come from the Apostle Peter. He wrote, “But we are looking forward To God’s promise of new heavens And a new earth afterwards Where there will only be goodness.” (2 Pet. 3:13) O dear God “Where there will be only goodness.” After centuries of war, greed, and lust After indulgences shamelessly practiced After hatred, hostility Jealousy and abuse. Murder and martyrdom Crime and cruelty Curses and rebellion. After whimpering cries from starving children After tragedy and catastrophe Loneliness and despair At last…at long last “There will be only goodness.” O dear Lord Your promise is Your guarantee But please hurry a little.’ 

Yes, my fellow saints in Christ, one fine and glorious day, our Lord would have had enough of this sinful world and replace it with a world where there is only goodness. He has promised it, and we know that His promises are ever faithful, so it’s only a matter of time. And yes, I know that some of us are rather impatient, we can’t wait for that day to come, but as always, it’s in God’s timing, whenever He is ready, and He’s never in a rush like we are, neither is He ever late. I can testify to that! 

And it’s not a new promise nuh mih bredrin. From since the days of the prophet Isaiah, the Lord faithfully promised: ‘And there shall come forth a rod (shoot) out of the stem (stock or trunk) of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow (bear fruit) out of his roots. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding (his delight shall be in the) fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes (by what he sees), neither reprove after the hearing of his ears (decide by what he hears): 

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity (decide with uprightness) for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite (strike) the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle (belt) of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins (the belt of his waist).’ (Is. 11:1-5) 

Yes, friends, that was the Lord’s promise of the Messiah’s Millennial Kingdom to His people Israel. But they misunderstood the whole thing. They expected a warrior king to come and release them from the bondage of Rome and were very disappointed when He came as a quiet, peaceful, LOVING rabbi. In any case, that particular promise was not supposed to happen in His first coming, but in the second. As John describes it in Revelation 21; the scripture promise on which our poem is based. 

‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst (who thirsts) of the fountain of the water of life freely.’ (Rev. 21:1-6) 

Oh my people, that’s what the faithful of God have to look forward to! It may not happen for a while yet, but we can be sure that it will happen when the Lord decides the time is right! That means we have to hang in there, keep being faithful even during these evil and godless times, because the promise is not for little while, but for eternity, which is forever! And as the prophet Habakkuk so rightly declared: ‘For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.’ (Hab. 3:3) 

Yes friends, the time will eventually come when ‘the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.’ (Is. 11:6) Oh what a beautiful picture of peace and harmony! Those shall be the characteristics of Christ’s eventual kingdom! Glory be mih people! No more predatory stuff, no sin, no evil no pain and sorrow, only goodness and mercy, dwelling with our Triune God, till the end of time! 

Wow! What a glorious time to look forward to! And for those of us who are eagerly looking forward to it, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. In strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

Now it’s time to stop talking and go out and share Jesus’ LOVE and friendship with those who don’t know it. Much LOVE!

…faith without works is dead… (James 2:26)  

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 January 2021 John 3:3.

09 Jan 2021 Leave a comment

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

John 3:3.     ​Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Well here comes Saturday; that lazy, hazy day! And with the worldwide lockdown, there’s even more reason to have a lazy and hazy Saturday since you can’t go anywhere and do much of anything! (smile) But God is good, and He operates on both the good and bad days, so there’s nothing to fear if we have Him uppermost in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. Yeh friends, if we want to make it through all in one piece in these treacherous and perilous times, then the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob definitely has to be our rock, our anchor, our place of safe refuge, our Good Shepherd. 

And as we always do on Saturdays, let’s look at some of the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And thank God it seems like he’s stopped putting that unwieldy preface before each quote! (smile) 

And the first quote says: ‘Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.’ Now there is truth to that statement, although I don’t believe that intelligence is only the ability to adapt to change. It’s also a whole lot of other things. But you do need intelligence if you’re going to successfully adapt to change. You need to first be intelligent to know that you must adapt in some things and places, and then be intelligent enough to know which things and places to adapt to. If you don’t, the world will quickly leave you behind. 

But for heaven’s sake, don’t just adapt for adapting sake, or because everyone else is doing it. You just have to look at the state of social media nowadays and see how it’s sucking so many people into bad habits with its ever expanding tentacles and reach! You have to be intelligent enough to know how far to let it take you. 

And the next quote tells us that ‘Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.’ Now I think that’s somewhat contradictory. Granted, foolish people might never want to change, but a wise man, because he is wise, ought to know that change is sometimes very necessary, even though we may not want to make it. So personally, I think that part is wrong. And I can say that from personal experience. (smile) I’m not a great believer in change, especially just for change sake, but I do think I’m wise enough to know that at times I do need to change, although I may not want to. 

And that’s where I think wisdom becomes very necessary. Yeah, they used to tell me that I was living in the 18thcentury, but now I’ve moved up to halfway in the 20th. So you see, I was wise enough to recognize the need for some change, though they had to drag me screaming into it! (smile) And change is especially important if you want to be a true believer in Christ. A couple of scriptures will show us that. 

The first comes from Jesus Himself, when Nicodemus came to Him by night, afraid of the wrath of the Pharisees, and asked how to gain salvation.‘Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’(John 3:3) Yeh friends, that’s the first and wisest change we need to make if we want to follow Jesus! 

And it doesn’t mean entering into our mother’s wombs again, but ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ (John 3:5-6) And once you’re born again of water and the Spirit, then you need to hear Bruh Paul’s words to the church at Corinth. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17) 

Now that’s another time when change is oh so necessary! We have to put away the old, worldly things of our lives and pick up new spiritual practices that fall under Jesus’ guidelines. And I believe that this next quote addresses our problem with all that change very adequately. ‘If you have a purpose which is bigger than you, all your problems will become tiny.’ 

Oh,  all your problems definitely won’t become tiny, but with Jesus as your main man, with His divine help, they will become manageable. But we must have Jesus as our special purpose, a purpose bigger than us, if our problems are to become manageable. That’s just the way life is friends. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Jesus as He talks about the vine and the branches. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) And if that isn’t telling it like it is, then I don’t know what is nuh? 

Bruh Paul also corroborated Christ’s statement in his second letter to the Corinthians. ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) And if you don’t make that change and start depending on God, then you’re not wise! (smile) 

And the last quote says: ‘The ones who can see the vision when no one else can, and work on it like there is no tomorrow, will succeed. The rest will follow.’ Oh friends, there is much truth in that statement, but the crux of it is the second part. Many of us see visions, know what we ought to do, what the Lord wants us to do, but for whatever reason we refuse or hem and haw until it’s too late to work on it. 

That’s the whole thing about being a Christian my brethren; we not only have a new and different way to live, but we also have to diligently work at it, since we are servants, workers, ambassadors of Christ on this evil earth! He is depending on us to bring about the necessary changes He desires. And truly working at being a Christian is no easy matter since the devil and his evil cronies delight in putting obstacles in our way. That’s why we need to read and know the word of God so that we can put it into use when the enemy comes against us, as he undoubtedly will. 

As Bruh Paul said to Timothy: ‘Fight the good fight of faith…’ (1 Tim. 6:12) As believers, we all have to daily fight the hardships and adversity that comes with the Christian life, show the true nature of our faith, as we daily grow and mature in it, until we can accomplish that balance between faith and works that James talks about. ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.’ (James 2:17-18) 

Oh precious people, it’s great to have faith, but faith is useless if it isn’t put to work. Jesus didn’t come to earth to just have faith, He came to do works, and we are called to do likewise, in His name. So let’s get to it seriously nuh, the world is anxiously waiting for us to show it our true and lasting faith by our sincere works! Much LOVE!

…a believer must be responsive to change…but wisely… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 February 2020 Romans 8:28

20 Feb 2020 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:28.    ​And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
 
Jamaica! Jamaica! Sweet, sweet Jamaica! Everything’s good in Jamaica! Yeahhhh! Well hello there mih lovelies! The ole fella is hailing out to you all on this bright, hot, sunny, tropical afternoon from the paradise island of sweet Jamaica! Yes! We’ve left the cold and the snow and the bleak dreary days behind! 

The Good Lord has seen it fit, in all His wisdom, goodness, LOVE, kindness, mercy, grace and forgiveness to give the duchess and the ole fella a trip to my third homeland of Jamaica, where I turned man some half century ago! Glory be! 

The foundation of the story though is that we’re here to celebrate the wedding of a cousin and close friend on the upcoming weekend…what better excuse to get away from the cold eh? (smile) So please note, that as usual, when the ole fella is vacationing with the duchess the Bit can arrive at any time – early morning or late night depending on how the duchess and the Lord apportion my time. (smile) But you will get it as long as there is breath in the ole bod! 

Well right now I’m here admiring the palm trees swaying in the cool sea breeze blowing outside my balcony door, with a beautiful view of the ocean reflecting three colours of blue as it gets deeper; from a light blue in the shallows to a deep blue in the depths. Oh, and another plane just flew by to land at Montego Bay Airport. They jut keep coming and going. 

But yesterday was a rather eventful day; getting up at minutes to three so I could write the bit before leaving. Then hustling to the airport in the early morning traffic and going through all the nonsense that travelling entails these days, and getting on the big bird, the Boeing 737 Dreamliner, they changed it from a stodgy Rouge plane, don’t know why. But who knows why airlines do what they do eh? The flight was good; left around 10 am, and got here around 1.30 pm. 

That was when the real fun began; having to negotiate Immigration and Customs with it seemed thousands of people arriving at same time. But eventually we got out front and proceeded to wait on a cousin to pick us up. Yuh should see the ole fella, taking off his long-sleeved shirt, leaving on just a T-shirt and outside in the sun catching some much needed rays! Wow! Was that ever cathartic! (smile) 

The cousin finally came and took us to a hotel not far from the airport. We should have known that there would be problems from the less than warm welcome at the reception desk. And knowing who I was dealing with, I insisted on seeing the room allocated to us before we moved anything. And just as well, because they took us to a building far away from the main section, with two sets of stairs to climb, no elevator, and then down to the very end of the corridor. And to make matters worse, the room view opened up on to a patch of overgrown bush and a construction site. 

Naturally that raised the duchess’ ire up, and she refused it. When we got back to the reception desk, they seemed less than energetic to try and find something more suitable. But in the meanwhile they advised us to go over the street to the food hut and eat some jerk pork and chicken, which we did. And don’t get me wrong, the property is nice, but as always, it’s the people who spoil stuff. 

When we got back to the desk they arrogantly informed us that they had nowhere else to put us, so the duchess kindly informed them that under those conditions we would not be staying. I guess those were the magic words, because they then told us to wait and they would see what they could do. A short time later they took us to this room in the main section, on the sixth floor, with an elevator, and a beautiful view of the ocean. 

Well that obviously appeased the duchess. And was I ever glad, because all I wanted to do was to go and get a soak in the salt before the beach closed at six. And ohhhh…was it ever wonderful to walk on warm sand and immerse the ole bod in some salt water; the most therapeutic remedy on God’s great earth! When I got back to the room, the duchess informed me that there was a surprise party with a 70’s theme, to go to for the bride at 7.30. 

So I got dressed and went downstairs to the outside dining area, sat there and listened to a trio of Mento singers regale us with some Jamaican folk songs and other more popular stuff in that idiom. Some forty minutes later, the duchess finally came down and went to the front desk to check on what was happening. A few minutes later she came back and told me that the party was actually a bridal shower for females only. 

Hn! Now I wasn’t too annoyed, because I was tired and there was lots of food and drink available and my bed close by. So I did just that: found me a seat with a couple of other guests, ate some island food, while listening to some good music from the live band and was sipping an exotic blue cocktail when the duchess showed up and dragged me off to the party, which turned out be an all genders party after all. 

That party was good too, up on a Mo Bay hill side in a palatial mansion, with a million dollar view of the other side of the harbour, light’s strung out like a necklace of shining diamonds. It reminded us of Cape Town Harbour in South Africa. And then there were people really dressed like 70’s folks and danced routines to songs from that era too. So all in all a good time was had by all. I never got back to the hotel until after eleven. 

And I guess you’re wondering what all of that has to do with the Bit and Scripture. Well let me give you a few verses. First off, Jesus’ memorable words: ‘I am come that they might have life abundantly.’ (John 10:10) We’re just having life abundantly as He promised. And then, though the Lord inflicts us with adversity, listen to these most reassuring words of Jesus. ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Just doing what out Leader says, being of good cheer despite all the problems in the world. 

And here is this one: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ Now how can we ever discount that eh, when despite all the harassment we went through yesterday, everything turned out well and all the people LOVE us now! Well that might be taking it a bit far, (smile) but more importantly is that they have been treating us well. 

And hear these immortal words of Bruh David: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps. 27:13) Yeh friends, what’s the purpose of all those other scriptures if we don’t expect to see God’s goodness down here eh? And the final scripture, and my favourite these days – more immortal words of Bruh David: ‘O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.’ (Ps.34:8) 

Wow mih breddren! Yuh know since I recently discovered the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir on YouTube singing Psalm 34 – Taste and See- it’s resonated with me very powerfully and I find myself singing it often. Going to check it out when I’m finished here. Now let’s go home, declaring (yeah!) our Thursday Blessings in strong voice and sincere hearts. 

‘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!’ 

We must now go out and share those blessings, for as James says, faith without works is dead. (James 2:17) So let’s show them our faith by our works nuh. Much LOVE!

…a slice of heaven is possible…right down here on earth…only trust and believe… 

P.S. Yes, it’s long, because the ole fella’s excited and just wants to share His blessedness with you, so that you can go through whatever you’re going through without losing your hope and faith, knowing that whatever the Lord’s done for me, He will do for you too, if you’re obedient to His will. Hope it’s not boring. (smile) Much LOVE!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 October 2019 Matthew 5:20.

31 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:20.    ​For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case (by any means) enter into the kingdom of heaven.
 

Oh, how I wish it wouldn’t rain…how I wish it wouldn’t rain…! An unfulfilled wish most likely, since they’ve forecasted lots of rain for this Halloween day. I believe they even considered postponing it until tomorrow due to the deluge expected. But in my opinion, they should just abolish the whole stupid, ungodly ritual because it’s just a celebration of evil and greed! When you have the ugliest, scariest and most inappropriate costumes for children; things like witches, ghouls, hobgoblins and the like being a big deal in the society, what does it teach them eh? And now there are also a whole lot of restrictions on what you can wear, what is culturally or religiously acceptable, that it makes a mockery of the whole thing. 

But what amazes me is we teach them that candy is bad for their health and well being, then we have a big celebration where they go out in the dangerous dark night to see who can collect the most candy! Who do you think eats it eh? The very same children who are taught that it’s bad for them. But I doubt it will be abolished anytime soon, even with it’s inherent dangers, since it strengthens the bottom line of the costume people, the candy makers and the dentists, politically powerful and monied groups in our society. 

That brings us to our Bit for this Halloween Thursday, very poignant and important words of Jesus to His listeners on the law, from the Sermon on the Mount. ‘For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case (by any means) enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ Now that was a heavy blow to those religious leaders for they were considered the creme de la creme of righteousness in their day. And the scholars obligingly explain. 

‘5:20. Because of the necessity of righteousness as a requirement to enter heaven, Jesus then declares that except their righteousness should exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees they could not enter heaven. The significance of this is seen in the fact that the Jews of Jesus’ day considered these people to be the most religious in all Israel. However, their religion was largely an outward show of self-righteousness. In communicating the depth of His message, Jesus used a series of contrasts between the outward behaviour demanded by the law and the inner attitude of the heart desired by God. Here we discover the practical application of the Christian character to true spiritual living. Here we see the gospel in action.’ 

And sadly, nothing much has changed to this day; there are still a lot of religious leaders; modern-day scribes and Pharisees who only offer lip service and outward show to the true tenets of Christianity. Meanwhile, their inner man is more attuned to the things of the law, of the world, than those of God. Here’s a list of the contrasts between living under the Law and living by the Spirit as provided by the scholars. ‘The Law says No murder, the Spirit, No anger. No Adultery…. No Lust. No Divorce… Commitment. No oath-taking… Speak the truth. No retaliation… Forgiveness. Hatred for your enemy (tradition allowed it) … LOVE for your enemy (commanded).’ 

Yes my faithful brethren, the Law isn’t basically wrong, but the demands of the Spirit carry us to a higher level of spirituality and righteousness. And it’s that high level we need to enter the kingdom of heaven. I didn’t say so, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ said it long ago, and nothing has happened since to change it. And after expounding our Bit to His listeners, Jesus then went on to individualize the stuff that we just wrote. He then taught on Anger, Adultery, Divorce, Oaths and LOVE for enemies. (Matt.5:21-48) 

Ah friends, it’s sad and rather unfortunate that we’re living in such a sinful and unrighteous society these days. No wonder we’re at such a low ebb, in ALL aspects of life. There’s absolutely no situation in which we can say we’re winning! Even the fools who are trying to throw God out of our society will eventually lose, though they seem to have the upper hand now. Please pay attention though to these momentous words of Cousin Sol: ‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach (shame or disgrace) to any people.’ (Prov.14:34) And the scholars explain: ‘14:34. National righteousness and national sin have opposite effects: exaltation versus reproach.’ No wonder we have national reproach, because our society is as sinful as eternity is long. 

And Bruh Paul made it clear to the church at Rome when he talked about zeal but no righteousness. ‘For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to every one that believeth.’ (Rom.10:3-4) And the scholars explain: ‘10:4. Christ is the end of the law: Israel mistook the purpose of the law. The law pointed to the righteousness that is attainable only by belief in Christ. Israel also mistook the scope of the law. The righteousness to which it pointed was universally available to all who responded to God’s revelation of Himself through the law. But by Paul’s time many had substituted works for faith. Rather than seeking redemption in God’s mercy, they pinned their hopes on their own religious achievement.’ 

And that’s still happening on too large a scale today my people. It’s true that faith without works is dead, (James 2:17) but works alone will get us nowhere either! Let’s remember that nuh and proceed to build up both our faith and works through righteousness in Christ Jesus. Now let’s go home declaring (yeh!) our enabling Thursday Blessings. As one, in strong voice and sincere sense of purpose. ‘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 everyday! Amen!’ And let’s also remember that they are for generous sharing, not selfish hoarding. (smile) Much LOVE!

…without true righteousness…we shall never see God…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 January 2016 James 2:14‏

05 Jan 2016 Leave a comment

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

James 2:14.  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 

Aye mih breddren, it’s Tuesday! Glory Hallelujah! That means we got through Monday safely and have another wonderful, rollicking day to look forward to under the beautiful guidance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Oh glory to God my people! 

We couldn’t have a better author and finisher of our faith. So please let’s stand strong and true and look to Him for all our needs as He wants and expects of us, and also enjoy all the new blessings and mercies that He’s prepared specially for us today. 

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

Oh friends, every time we declare that mantra, I just get an all-choked up feeling because it’s so… so touching and heart-warming. I am beloved of God, a friend of Jesus…with no need to hurry or worry. Wow! What glorious truth my fellow believers! Now let’s hold on to it faithfully as we go out and mix and mingle with the unbelievers and show them what true Christianity is all about. 

And we’ll get right to our Bit as we have lots of stuff to talk about today. ‘What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?’ 

That’s a good question, and we’ll keep pursuing the answer by continuing with James theory on the subject. ‘Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought (was working) with his works, and by works was faith made perfect (complete)? 

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed (accounted) unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had receive the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.’ (James 2:21-26) 

Yes precious people, James does put up a good argument for his belief, but we’re going to get some serious explanations, some meat and potatoes (smile) now from the scholars. 

‘2:21-24. These verses present the crux of the issue: Is a man justified by works? Do Paul and James contradict each other? Several factors demonstrate that they do not. First, as already noted in verses 14-17, the apostles use the word for faith with different meanings.

Second, they use “justified” in different senses. It is customary to identify all nuances of this word with the theological idea Paul popularized – that is, God’s act of declaring all believers righteous on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work. 

But a common Old Testament and gospel usage involves demonstrating or showing something to be righteous (cf. Ps.51:4; Luke 7:35; Rom.3:4); it is this usage that James follows. Third, though both men use Abraham as an illustration, they focus on different aspects of his life. 

Paul shows that Abraham was declared righteous by faith when he trusted God (Gen.15:6). James declares that he was shown to be righteous by his offering up of Isaac (Gen.22:9) 

Fourth, even the terminology of these two apostles differs. Paul constantly speaks against the works of the law, as being a false use of those works to merit salvation. James, however, is speaking of works of LOVE that follow belief. 

Fifth, the two apostles are discussing totally different subjects, since they are confronted by different problems. Paul, opposing the Judaizers, seeks to prove that the Gentiles can be saved and sanctified apart from circumcision or any other work of the law. James, opposing merely nominal, professing Christians, seeks to show that true faith confirms itself by deeds of LOVE. 

If James were fighting Paul over law and grace – or faith and works – surely the subject of circumcision would have arisen, since it lies at the core of that issue. James and Paul are not face-to-face fighting each other – they are back-to-back fighting opposite foes!’ 

Wow friends, what a lot to digest! But I would be doing us a disservice if I did not give us the opportunity to feast upon all that scholarship. (smile) And I still have some more for you to digest. Hn! 

The scholars’ also declare: ‘2:25. Just as James presents two examples of spurious faith (vs.16, 19), (not providing for a believer’s needs, and demons believing that God exists), he concludes with two examples of genuine faith: Abraham and Rahab. 

One was a Jewish patriarch of great sanctity, whose faith was perfected by his works. The other was the lowest citizen of a condemned Gentile city, whose newfound faith was dramatized by her works. No matter whether one has the mature faith of an Abraham or the baby-like faith of a Rahab, there must be evidence of that faith.’ 

And the last scholar’s explanation: ‘2:26. The point of this analogy between the body and one’s faith is that both require an energizing element. The absence of that element renders the other component dead.’ 

And therein concludes the messages on faith and works as theorized by James. I do hope that we have all understood what he was talking about, and the difference between his theory and that of Bruh Paul. 

The long and short of the story is that faith ALONE can save us. However, when we embrace that faith, we need to show it by good deeds, otherwise our faith is meaningless. 

So my people, knowing that we all are saved, then let’s go out today and show that faith by our good works nuh. For that is indeed the wisdom of heaven. Much LOVE!

…faith and works are two essential and necessary parts of a believer’s life…

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 January 2016 James 2:14

04 Jan 2016 Leave a comment

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

James 2:14.   What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 

Oh friends, oh friends, the Christmas party done now! It’s time to get back to the daily grind and common task; that thing called work, which most of us don’t like, but which is ever so important. So let’s get a move on nuh, let’s be up and at ‘em this first Monday in this highly expectant year of 2016.  

Please don’t touch the snooze button! Hn! And I hear the moaning and groaning, the chuhing and steupsing, as the weight that we’ve put on over the Christmas season has us moving somewhat sluggishly. But don’t worry my precious people, with the Lord’s help we’ll handle it all with great aplomb! Nice word that- aplomb; simply meaning self-confidence and assurance. (smile) 

And please remember that though it’s a new year we still have some old tools that will serve us in very good stead. So without further ado, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with the new found joy and enthusiasm gained from our resolution to walk ever closer with Christ this new year. 

As one mighty and harmonious choir 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!’ 

Now that wasn’t bad at all my brethren, considering our unhealthy lifestyles in the past week or so. And Jesus, our choirmaster understood, and didn’t balk too much when He heard the occasional croak in the voices. (smile) That brings us to our Bit: ‘What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?’

Oh friends, that can certainly be a bone of contention as we saw in the scholars’ explanation yesterday. But I don’t think it is, or should be, because Bruh Paul and James are speaking about different things under different circumstances, and each is right when you consider those circumstances. 

Now let’s continue with James’ treatise from where we left off yesterday. ‘Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know (do you want to know), O vain (foolish) man, that faith without works is dead?’ (James 2:19-20) 

And the scholars have some interesting explanations re those verses. ‘2:19-20. The reference to faith in one God probably alludes to Israel’s great creedal statement of Deuteronomy 6:4. ‘Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.” Adherence to a creed is not true faith. Even the demons know and accept the truth of the creed, but they do not possess saving faith. If one does nothing to enact his knowledge of God, he is worse than the demons, for they at least tremble.’ 

Yes Friends, Lucifer and his evil minions know that there is a God, but that doesn’t make them believers. And we see the truth in that by Jesus’ statements: ‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils (demons)? and in thy name done many wonderful works (miracles)? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ (Matt.7:21-23) 

And the scholars explain: ‘7:21-23. Not everyone professing Christ is genuinely saved. Even the outward verbal acknowledgement of His lordship is in itself not enough to save the unbeliever apart from true repentance and faith. A genuinely saved person is one that doeth the will of my Father, the Greek present tense suggesting that he is continually living in obedience to the will of God as the normal course of his life.’ 

So my Scrip-Bit family, it is therefore essential that we all thoroughly examine ourselves, under that very critical light. Are we truly doing the will of the Father? Or are we just fooling, pretending that we have faith, professing Jesus, but in reality doing stuff contrary to His will? If that is so, then we definitely need to clean up our act, for we certainly don’t want Jesus to disown us and drive us away when the fateful day arrives.  

I can’t drive home enough, the seriousness of abiding by God’s will, if we profess faith in Him. And on that note, we’ll end for today. I have more stuff to discuss on the subject, but it will be way too long, and you already have enough information to ponder on. Plus I don’t want to hear any crying and whining about the Bit being too long. 

That brings me to this point which relates to what we were just talking about. I can send all sorts of foolish jokes and otherwise and nobody will complain that they are too long or insipid. But let it be about Jesus or God, if it’s not short, there will be much complaining.  (smile) How can we expect God to take us seriously and bless us, if we don’t take him seriously eh? Much LOVE!

…as Calvin said…faith alone saves…but a faith that saves…is never alone…

 

 

 

 

Previous Older Entries