Today’s Scrip-Bit    21 September 2023 Matthew 6:14-15.

21 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:14-15.        For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

And then it was Thursday…already? Yes. Already! The days are not waiting for us, they are going about their business, just like we should be going about ours. And if we aren’t, then we have no one to blame but ourselves, for our Lord has not blessed us with a power of fear and procrastination, but has generously bestowed on us the awesome power of His Holy Spirit, LOVE and a sound or disciplined mind. And it’s our bounden duty to use them to the best of our ability. End of Sermon! (smile) 

But to help us in doing those divine duties required of us, here’s this prayer from this month’s In Touch Devotional. Please pray with me. ‘Lord, there’s nothing I need to hide from You. You know everything about me – the healthy parts and the unhealthy, the good desires and those that hold me back. You see it all and yet You stay be my side. No matter what temptations or troubles I face. You are here. Help me to rest – and not cower – in your all-seeing presence. Let me delight in being completely and truly known by You. Amen.’ 

Ah friends, there’s nothing better than being in the Lord’s presence and having communion with Him! How could there be, when that’s what He created us for – to communicate with Him at all times, on all levels, about all things, good, bad or indifferent! And though He knows it all without our telling Him, He still desires to hear it from us, because when we do so, it means we trust Him to be our guide and leading light. And one thing is for sure, we don’t have to cower in His presence. 

No! Because of the work of Jesus, His shed blood at Calvary, we can go boldly, confidently, but humbly, to the throne of grace to receive divine help in time of trouble!. And all of God’s people shouted out a loud and grateful: ‘All praise and glory to the Lamb who was slain for us, the comforting power of his Holy Spirit, and the undying, unconditional LOVE of the Father! Amen!’  

And now that we’ve gotten into the Spirit and grace of God, (smile) let’s see what the Word has to further tell us about the heartwarming story of Bruh Joseph. So, we stopped yesterday where He kept Simeon bound in prison, but sent the other nine brothers’ home with food for their families, food for their journey, and their money in their sacks. Meaning that the food for their families was provided free of cost to them, and also showing the LOVE and largesse of Bruh Joseph to his family, despite the ill treatment they had meted out to him. 

And those, my friends, ought to be two very important traits of our Christian faith walk. However, in this day of rampant greed, selfishness, vengeance and unforgiveness, those traits are certainly not seen as often as they should. But just remember that Jesus said: ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Matt. 6:14-15) And that’s an abundantly clear and straightforward passage, that we ought to have at the top of our list of scriptures! 

Ah Lord eh, (smile) I keep getting sidetracked from Bruh Joseph’s story, but it shows the many different aspects of life and godly traits that comes out of it, traits which were required then, and are still required now, possibly even more so, because of the confused, dysfunctional, evil and ungodly state of our world.  Anyway, the nine brothers return home. 

The Bible reports it thus: ‘And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land spake roughly (harshly) to us, and took us as for spies of the country. And we said unto him, We are true (honest) men; we are no spies. We be twelve brethren, sons of one father, one is not (no more), and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. 

And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true (honest) men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true (honest) men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick (trade) in the land.’ (Gen. 42:29-34) 

Now can you imagine poor Jacob, in his later years, possibly already suffering from lack of food because of the famine, hearing such a grievous tale from his sons. His spirit must have sunk to a very low level. But worse was yet to come. For the Good Library continues: ‘And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.’ (Gen. 42:35) 

Obviously, when they had stopped at an inn along the way, and one of the brothers had discovered his money in his sack, the others had not thought to check their sacks too. But on getting home, found that all their sacks contained all their money. Now, that must certainly have been a most discombobulating, bewildering situation. Because they had all brought home food, but apparently had not paid for it. That brought forth these sorrowful words from Jacob. ‘And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.’ (Gen. 42:36) 

We can all understand Jacob’s sad predicament, because losing a child is probably the hardest thing a parent will ever have to go through. However, the story continues: ‘And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. And he (Jacob) said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief (calamity) befall him by the way (along the way) in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.’ (Gen. 42:37-38) 

Yes my brethren, it’s hard to lose one child, but two, and possibly three. No way Jose! Not if you can prevent it! So, it seems Jacob had made up his mind to lose Joseph and Simeon, but certainly not Benjamin too. And who could blame him. Anyhow, we’ve run out of time and space for today, and that’s as good a place as any to end today’s episode. So, God willing, tomorrow we’ll continue looking at the saga of Bruh Joseph. In the meantime, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!!) our Thursday Blessings; those amazing blessings the Lord has so generously bestowed on us so that we can do His earthly work. 

Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! 

I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those wonderful blessings, we are now expected to go out and share them with others just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…without active LOVE and forgiveness…one cannot be a true believer in Christ Jesus… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   17 August 2023 Colossians 1:9b.

17 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 1:9b.          …desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Then it was Thursday, the second to last day of our work week…and is it ever here quickly! (smile) Yes, I know the days are moving by ever so swiftly, and if we don’t grab hold of them and use them to the fullest, they will just pass us by like a flash of lightning. But one can only do one’s best and leave the rest to the Lord, for no amount of worrying or anxiety on our part will change His plan for our lives, or even speed them up. (smile) 

Now, I had intended to continue delving into Samuel’s story today, but I got a zeppo from above telling me to leave Samuel alone for today and deal with this more immediate subject; that of prayer for others. And we all know that prayer is possibly the most important privilege we have as believers in Christ Jesus, and He said very clearly ‘that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (give up).’ (Luke 18:1) And if Jesus stated it so plainly, then it must be important. 

And one of the best things, or rather a part of our bounden duty is to pray for others. Now I believe we all do that, but how do we do it eh? Jesus gave us an example of how to pray for ourselves in what we call the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-15), but Bruh Paul gives us a fine example of how to pray for others in his letter to the church at Colossae. Let’s have a gander at it nuh. 

After his opening address, talking about how he heard of their LOVE for the Lord and their walking in the Spirit and bringing forth good fruit, He declares (steups!!!): ‘For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in (the) light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated (transformed) us into the kingdom of his dear Son (the Son of His LOVE): In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:’ (Col. 1:9-14) 

And it is indeed a mouthful, but what beautiful sentiments! You’ll notice that Bruh Paul doesn’t pray for them to be healthy, wealthy or rich in earthly things, but stays strictly within the spiritual realm. He prays for them to get wisdom and understand the will of God for their lives, that they grow in knowledge of God, so that they can walk worthy of Him, bearing much good fruit, strengthened through the power of Christ, thus enabled to handle patience and longsuffering with joyfulness, while giving thanks to the Father. 

Yes friends, that’s the kind of prayers we ought to make for our friends, families and fellow saints, that they and us grow in the knowledge of God and walk in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. For as Jesus also plainly stated, if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all the earthly things we need will be added unto us through the Lord’s grace and mercy. (Matt. 6:33) And I know that we need to pray for help in times of sickness, both physical and emotional, as well as for financial problems, but overall, it’s more empowering to pray for the spiritual aspects of the believer’s life to improve. 

Now here are some explanations from the scholars on those verses above. As per 1:9:‘Wisdom is an accurate perception into the true nature of things. Understanding is the skillful application of this wisdom in practical situations. And for 1:10. This verse expresses the reason that in verse 9 Paul wants the Colossians to obtain a knowledge of God’s will. It is that they may walk (live) properly and fully please God. a worthy walk is spelled out by the things he says in vs, 10b-12. 

A worthy walk entails the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work, productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord better; (3) always “strengthened with all might,” becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of life.’  As for ‘1:11. Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Longsuffering is forbearing the faults and offences of others.’ 

Turning to ‘1:12. This verse also might be translated “thanking the Father, for He made us fit to share the salvation belonging to the saints who are in the light.” Light is the ethical condition in which God’s children live, namely, that of spiritual understanding, with its accompanying morality and happiness.’ And as per ‘1:13. Darkness is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely, that of spiritual ignorance with its attending immorality and misery. Finally, for ‘1:14. Blood reminds the Colossians of the enormous price and sacrifice paid to secure their redemption. Redemption then is achieved by the atonement wrought by Jesus’ death. See Ephesians 1:7 for ‘redemption.’ 

And who says living the Christian life is easy eh? No way Jose! At least not if you live it right! And I do hope that we all now have a good and solid foundation re praying for others. However, remember that doesn’t exclude praying for stuff like health, wealth and a long life, but our spiritual encouragement, enlightenment and faith also need to be boosted so that we can walk in the Spirit and bear good fruit. And our God is so wonderful and gracious that He’s showered us with numerous blessings to enable us to do His earthly work! 

So, let’s activate them now nuh. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And now that those blessings have been activated, it’s our duty to go out and share them with others, just as generously as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…What’s Christianity…a sometimes difficult journey…but always a joyful and rewarding walk through all aspects of life with Jesus… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 July 2023 Proverbs 22:6.

27 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 22:6.       Train up a child in the way he should go, and (even) when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Well, it rained, or rightly drizzled through most of the night, and therefore Thursday has opened somewhat cloudy but dry. Nonetheless, the computer is giving another ‘HEAT’ warning for today. It’s therefore another day of air conditioners working hard and walking around with your umbrella and hat to protect you from the sun or rain. (smile) In other words, it’s just another day on God’s good earth. So, let’s brighten up and enjoy it, for as the psalmist so rightly said: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we WILL rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) 

Now here’s an interesting poem I recently found while rummaging through some old files on my desk. And I was truly amazed at the amount of stuff I found in them, good, bad and indifferent. I never knew I was such a prolific writer in my earlier days. It might take me another lifetime to go through it all and weed out the wheat from the thrash. (smile) Anyway here’s this most appropriately titled poem, ‘Children Learn What They Live.’ It’s something that parents today so badly need to read, inwardly digest and put into proper action. And, as so often is the case, I don’t know who wrote it, or where I got it from, but it’s certainly a gem of a poem.  

Please read with me. ‘If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn. If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight. If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty. If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient. If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence. If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate. If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice. If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith. If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself. If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, He learns to find LOVE in the world.’ 

And isn’t that the awesome truth my fellow believers? It most certainly is! Those are the basics of bringing up a child, which many of our generation didn’t adhere to, and which even more of this current generation are bypassing for many foolish reasons. Then we’re wondering why our children are so unruly, ungodly and prone to such foolish and evil behaviour. And that’s the perfect way to do what Cousin Sol said in Proverbs. ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and (even) when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Prov. 22:6) 

Exactly what we have not been doing with our children, otherwise they would not be the sorry, ungodly, lost lot that they now are, exhibiting the chaotic ways of the world. And believe me, children don’t learn those things they need to make their way successfully in this world in school or at church, but in the HOME! That’s supposed to be the major place of learning God’s moral compass, but unfortunately many parents don’t know it, are too busy or simply don’t care, so it’s left for others to teach our children. 

And if our children don’t have the proper basic foundation, then they will fall for any and everything. And the filth and foolishness that’s floating around out there right now is unbelievable, that’s why they are running from one thing to the next, unable to settle down to any one thing. And we have to take most of the blame for that my fellow parents. Some of us might have figured we grew up too hard, with too little freedom, so we allow our children to do basically what they want. But that tough LOVE of our childhood is exactly what kept us on the straight and narrow, gave us a sense of responsibility. 

What we have to learn is that LOVE doesn’t mean allowing others to have their way, to do whatever they wish, even though it’s wrong. No! LOVE means proper guidance, with godly discipline. And if our children don’t like it, then tough; they can go and find their own place to live and a way to support themselves. The long and short of the situation is that we’ve been too soft and molly-cuddly with our children; trying to be their friends instead of their parents. 

In other words, we have abrogated our parenting responsibility, taken the easy way out, and thus are now paying the price with a generation of unruly, disobedient offspring, who figure they are entitled to do whatever, whenever they so desire. And that’s why there’s so much chaos in our world; a thorough lack of responsibility, that’s led to a time of immense greed and selfishness. Remember, whatever foundation we grow with, that’s what we’ll exhibit in our later lives. Which is one of the reasons why the Lord doesn’t allow us to get away with too much foolishness and disciplines us when we go astray. He knows the downfall of a lack of discipline. 

The Book of Hebrews spells it out for us. ‘And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons), My son, despise not the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord LOVETH he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.’ (Heb. 12:5-6) Now that sounds as though it’s so abusive and unfair, but it’s not. And this commentary explains it a tad better than I could. (smile)

The author says: ‘So, my point simply is that God often times leads us into painful situations and orchestrates our lives and imposes upon us difficult circumstances, physical discomfort, financial pressure, and other such hardships to help us grow up in Christ. And these are not expressions of his anger but of his LOVE!’ And that’s the gospel truth friends! If our God didn’t LOVE us, He would just let us do whatever we want and suffer the very serious consequences. Then we would declare (chuh!!!) that He didn’t LOVE us, otherwise He would have stopped us from making those serious mistakes and having to pay the heavy price. 

We can’t have it both ways friends. The Lord is not our doting grandfather, but our exalted God, to whom obedience and respect is required and expected, and there are consequences for the lack thereof. Now, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings which the Lord has so generously bestowed on us to do His earthly work. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! 

I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And having activated those blessings, we must now go out and use them generously with others, so that they can come to know and LOVE the Lord like we do! Much LOVE!

…the best way to live…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…  (Uncle Charles – Dr. Charles Stanley) 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 June 2023 Isaiah 44:18.

22 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 44:18.       They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

And so, we’ve come to Thursday, somewhat cloudy, but another milestone day in our work week, because it’s the day before our beloved Friday! But have you ever noticed that every day of the week is a milestone day? Yes. Monday is the hard day when we go back to work. Tuesday lets us know that we’ve successfully gotten through the Monday that we dreaded. 

Wednesday is the day we catch our second wind. Thursday lets us know that Friday is near. And blessed Friday, the one we all pray to reach, means that the work week is ending. Meanwhile Saturday is our lazy day, and Sunday the day we gather in fellowship to praise our wonderful God! Wow! Every day serves some purpose, though they might be somewhat simple-minded. (smile) 

So what shall we talk about on a serious note today eh? I don’t have a clue. But the best way to find something is to open the Good Library and see where it leads us. So, here goes! 

And lo, and behold, the good Library opened unto the 44th chapter of the Book of Isaiah. And I was pointed to these verses on the foolishness of worshipping idols. Please read with me. ‘They that make a graven image are all of them vanity (useless); and their delectable (precious) things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not; nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten (moulded) a graven image that is profitable for nothing?’ (Is. 44:9-10) 

And those are very good questions my faithful brethren. Who can form a god or molten image that is profitable eh? Nobody, because those things have no value, are utterly worthless. They are made by man, for man, so how can they be gods? Then Isaiah lays into the people, the workmen who make those graven images, the smith and the carpenter. 

And the scholars give us a good explanation of the scriptures. ‘44:9-20. This expose of idolatry is the most taunting in all of the Bible. The prophet Isaiah, serving as the spokesman of Yahweh, reveals the utter foolishness of polytheistic pagan idolatry (worshipping more than one god). The graven image (carved idol) is called vanity (nothing). Delectable things refers to the adornment of idols with gold, silver, and precious stones. 

The prophet announces that the idols themselves are their own witnesses. They see not, nor know. Therefore these inanimate objects are profitable for nothing. Isaiah then berates the workmen  (artisans) for designing and constructing their idols in the figure of a man. He exposes the basic fallacy of idolatry, a god made in the image of a man. Thus the prophet’s criticism of one who would worship an idol carved from the same tree that he would use for firewood is that he feedeth on ashes.’  

Oh yes my people, Isaiah does a good job on those workmen. From verse 13-17, he ridicules them about cutting down a tree, using it to make a god-like image of man, then from the same tree, he burns some to keep himself warm, then uses some to bake bread. ‘And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto (before) it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, deliver me; for thou art my god.’ (Is. 44:17) 

Wow! How wise is that eh? The same stuff you use to warm yourself, cook with, you also bow down to! That’s why Isaiah then spoke of a deceived heart. ‘They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part (half) of it in the fire; yea, also I have beaked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?’ (Is. 44:18-20) 

Ah friends, unfortunately that same misfortune has befallen many of us in this supposed enlightened day and age. Many of us have had our hearts deceived by the lying, untrustworthy enemy into turning away from God, our Creator and Provider. We have been so bamboozled that we can’t realize we’re believing a lie, when we say, there is no God. And that’s why our society is steadily falling into the mire of darkness and destruction. We are imploding, destroying ourselves from within. 

The Lord doesn’t need to destroy us for our wicked and ungodly behaviour, we are doing it ourselves. He just has to sit back and watch us foolishly destroy the wonderful planet and all therein that He made and gave to us. Things have gotten so bad that instead of destroying us for our wickedness, the Lord will have to save us again from ourselves, for with each passing day we draw nearer to a nuclear holocaust, with the increase in the manufacture and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the unbridled hate and resentment overflowing in our world. Let’s hope and pray that the Lord intervenes before it’s too late. 

Now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Thursday Blessings, generously bestowed on us, so that we can do our part in avoiding the holocaust. Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

Now friends, it’s our bounden duty to take those blessings and go out and use them just as generously with those we meet, so that they can wake up from the enemy induced stupor, come to Christ and stop worshipping Satan and/or foolish man-made idols. Much LOVE!

…how can a man worship the image of a man…when that same man…in the twinkling of an eye… returns to the dust from whence he came… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   13 June 2023   1 Timothy 6:10a.

13 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 6:10a. For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds) of evil:

So we’ve said a fond farewell to Monday and bid Tuesday welcome, wondering what it has in store for us in these very unprecedented and uncertain times. Some of whatever it has in store for us we can do nothing about, while some we can change, but what we utterly need to have is a good, godly attitude about it all. That’s the only way we will handle it in a purposeful and successful manner…in other words, give it all to God! 

But here’s an interesting poem. on a very important matter, that I also found on that yellow piece of paper where I discovered that profound reading about the Road to Success that I recently shared. Please listen closely because it’s of the utmost importance and can make a whole lotta difference in our lives, if we accept and follow what it says. 

There’s no title. It just says: ‘It can buy a House, But not a Home. It can buy a Bed, But not Sleep. It can buy a Clock, But not Time. It can buy you a Book, But not Knowledge. It can buy you a Position, But not Respect. It can buy you Medicine, But not Health. It can buy you Blood, But not Life. It can buy you Sex, But not LOVE. So you see, MONEY isn’t EVERYTHING. And it often causes PAIN and SUFFERING. I tell you this because I am your Friend, and as your Friend, I want to take away your pain and suffering…So send me all your money. And I will suffer for you. Cash is fine.’ 

Now I do hope that we paid close attention to all that it says, because it’s the gospel truth. Including the part that says send me all your money and I will suffer for you. That’s the wonderful friend I can be. (smile) But unfortunately, that’s what a lot of people, scam artists and fraudsters are doing in great numbers these days, especially feeding on the poor, sick and elderly. It has become so rampant that it has spawned an industry unto itself. What a terrible shame that we can be so despicable and uncaring to those who are the most vulnerable. 

Money is great, and it’s a very useful and necessary tool in our society, but that’s just what it is supposed to be, a tool, not the god that so many of us bow down to and worship, kill ourselves to get…sometimes literally too. And you see the worldly things it can buy you, but the godly things it can never get you. A House but not a Home. A Bed, but not Sleep. A Clock, but not Time, A Book but not Knowledge. A Position, but not Respect. Medicine but not Health. Blood but not Life. Sex, but not LOVE! 

Yes friends, money is a worldly necessity, but the real good and important things in life cannot be bought, they have to be earned in a true and godly manner. And yuh better believe too that a whole lot of the pain and suffering in our world can be traced directly back to money; the lack of it, the great desire for it, in other words, greed, and to those who have too much of it for their own good and either use it frivolously or for their own selfish purposes, and don’t share it with the many that don’t have enough. 

And by the way, the date at the bottom of that poem is 5/11/01. That means it’s not a new poem, but has been around for a long time now, but we still haven’t learned how to use money successfully. And the Good Library does have quite a few things to say about money and its usefulness or lack thereof. So let’s check out a few of those wise biblical truths nuh. And I guess the best known one is that from Bruh Paul to Timothy, where he lectures him thus. 

‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing…life’s basic necessities) let us be therewith content. But they that will be (whose ambition is 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 erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ (1 Tim. 6:6-10) 

And all of that is the indisputable truth my people! The LOVE of money has driven so many of us to do so many foolish, wrong and ungodly things, that eventually bring us to ruin and destruction. And it’s a picture we see and hear about in the news every single day. Some poor, greedy, or ill-advised soul dying either literally or metaphorically because they unwisely chased down money. And there’s nothing wrong with making money, but it must not be our sole purpose in life. It ought to be a means to an end, like making a better life for our families, or sharing with others. Money is no good unless it’s used for good and useful purposes. 

And instead of running down money, these things that Bruh Paul told Timothy about, they should be the most important things in our lives. ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things (that come from the LOVE of money); and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim. 6:11-12) 

Yes my fellow believers, that’s where our focus should lie, in the things of God, not the material wealth of the world, which we cannot take with us when we die. So why focus on those things eh? And the scholars wisely tell us: ‘Man enters the world at birth possessing nothing, in order to teach him that he will exit the world in the same manner – taking nothing with him. This is a divine means of showing man that since material wealth is relatively insignificant, he should pursue the important things mentioned in verse 11.’ 

Now there are some words of wonderful wisdom, which we ought to take to heart my friends. Let’s stop running down money and the material things it can allow us to buy, and instead focus on the things that we cannot buy, but which are even more important in making a good life on this crazy and ungodly earth. And since we’ve run on longer than we expected, we’ll leave the rest of the biblical stuff on money for tomorrow, obviously if God spares life. (smile) 

Now let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one 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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having declared that (yesss!!!) let’s now go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do. Much LOVE!

…money, money, money…too much of it is no good…neither is too little…but sadly, few of us ever achieve a good balance… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 June 2023 Ephesians 2:8.

01 Jun 2023 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.

Come Thursday, everything will be all right! Yes friends, it’s Thursday, and all’s right with the world, it’s moving along as it should. (smile) And just for your information, it’s also the first day of June 2023. Wow! Have we already reached the middle of the year? Yes! And in record time too! (smile) 

Ah mih people, the days certainly seem to be flying along like there’s no tomorrow. I guess we’re so busy with our many problems that we don’t have time to pay attention to the individual days, as they go sailing by, which brings us to a different problem. If the days are going by quickly, that means the time for Jesus’ return is also coming up quickly and will most certainly come as a thief in the night, that’s unexpectedly, without warning. We then have to ask if we’re ready for such a momentous occasion, because if He returns and we’re not ready, then things will be really bad with us. 

We’ll be facing eternal separation from our Maker and eternity in hellfire with Satan. And I’m sure however you look at that situation it cannot be an encouraging one. And the ONLY way to avoid such a terrible situation is by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and thus be entitled to salvation and eternal life with Him in heaven, or wherever He chooses to be. And that life with Him will be extraordinary; one of peace, LOVE and joy. 

Now here’s a little insight into what life with Jesus will be like in the days of eternity. John writes it thus in the Book of Revelation. ‘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.’ (Rev. 21:3-4) 

Mama oh Mama! What a wonderful life that sounds like it will be! With Almighty God dwelling right there with you, and no more pain, death, tears, etc. etc. Wow! You can’t beat that my brethren! Furthermore, John informs us: ‘And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle (lamp), neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light : and they shall reign for ever and ever.’ (Rev. 22:5) 

Oh my people, it couldn’t get any better than that! No long, dark, arduous nights to go through…and the light of Almighty God constantly shining around you! Wow! Yes, that’s all I can say! (smile) Life with Jesus through eternity is obviously going to be a good, blessed life, the best there can be. But the only way to be there to enjoy it is to accept Him as Lord and Saviour before you die or He returns, for if either one of those things happen and you’re not ensconced in His LOVING arms, your name’s not written in His Book of Life, then you’ll be S.O.L. 

You won’t see heaven and spend eternity with Him. And I’m sure none of us want to miss the good things and times slated to happen with Jesus during that long time called eternity, because the only other option is hellfire and damnation with Satan. And I don’t think that really compares to heaven any which way you shape it. That’s why it’s of the utmost importance that we get ready RIGHT NOW since we don’t know the time of our death, or that of Jesus’ return, either of which could happen at any time without any warning. 

Therefore, like the old people would say, make hay while the sun shines, for you can’t do it when it rains. Meaning we have to come to Jesus NOW while we’re alive and He’s yet to return. And how do we do that, you ask? It’s a simple process. You confess that you’re a sinner and ask the Lord to come into your life and make you what He wants you to be, and promise to be obedient to His will and word. 

And once you accept Him as Lord and Saviour His Holy Spirit, the third member of our Triune God will come to dwell in you to lead and guide you along the narrow pathway that’s the Christian life. It’s not necessarily an easy life with so many people and things coming against believers, but it’s always interesting, adventuresome and very worthwhile, especially the ending of heaven, with eternal life and good times with Jesus. 

It’s important to note though, that your big part in the process of salvation is accepting it. That’s because, as Bruh Paul said to the Ephesians: ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.’ (Eph. 2:8) Salvation is God’s gift to mankind. He LOVED us so much and saw that we were headed inexorably to hell through our disobedience and idolatrous ways, that He wanted to provide us with another much better option. 

It meant Him breaking His own heart by sending His Son Jesus to die to pay the price necessary to wash away our sins. But that’s how much He LOVED us, His most precious and favourite creation. The Bible puts it thus: ‘But God commendeth (demonstrated) his (own) LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:8) 

That’s the wonderful kind of God we serve my fellow saints. So, I don’t understand why we can’t respond with the same sort of LOVING reaction to Him. But that’s why He gave us free will, to make our choice whether we want to dance with Him in heaven or with Satan in hell. It’s all the individual’s choice. End of sermon! 

Now let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings so that they can be activated and become available to us to use in God’s great work here on earth. Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

It now behooves us to go out and share those blessings just as generously with others as the Lord shared them with us! Much LOVE!

…there are only two eternal options…heaven or hell…the choice is ours… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 May 2023 Matthew 24:13.

29 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 24:13.       But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Prologue: Ah friends, I know it’s long and late, but life happened to the ole fella… and is it ever so good. (smile) 

And the unbreakable cycle of our working lives continues its everlasting journey, revolving once more to park for a brief moment of time on the day we call Monday; the day we all LOVE to hate. (smile) Unfortunately though, it’s all a part of the Creator’s great plan for our universe, and unless we want to live it despondently and without the joy we were meant to have, then we’d best learn to grin and bear it, making the best of our earthly days, which, though sometimes rather short, can be very enjoyable, especially if we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. 

In fact, Christians ought to be the most joyful people on the earth, with all the many promises of our faith, like salvation and eternal life with Christ through His earthly ministry, where He died on the cross to pay for our sins and set us free from the impending doom in hellfire with the evil Satan. But sadly, many of us who consider ourselves believers, tend to eke out a miserable existence, always sour and unhappy with life, whether it’s because of our unfortunate circumstances and not trusting God to help us fix them, or because of the false belief that Christians should always be poor and metaphorically dragging themselves in the dirt, the picture painted of the old-time pilgrims. 

But if that’s true, then Christ wasted His time in dying for us. Why die, if we would still be the scum of the earth? On the contrary, Jesus said: ‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) And I’m sure the abundant life is not one of just getting by in a continuously troubled and unhappy frame of mind. But as they say, to each his own, and I’m going to make sure I enjoy my life to the fullest, making Jesus my Number One priority, for I know that with Him at the helm of my good ship Life, I’ll be as safe and comfortable as heavenly possible. (smile) 

And while we in Canada and many other parts of the world go out to work today, the U.S will be commemorating their Memorial Day Holiday. ‘That’s a holiday dedicated to those who died while serving in America’s wars. To commemorate the day, which falls on the last Monday in May, people flock to Washington to decorate the graves of fallen military service members, attend parades and visit national monuments.’ And it’s certainly sad and disheartening to think that despite the many who have fallen unnecessarily and uselessly in the wars over the years, that wars and rumours of wars are still such a big part of our human existence. 

Like the human animal is not satisfied unless he is constantly clashing swords with his fellow man. And now, at the height of our intelligence, technology and prosperity, instead of using those tools to work towards peace, LOVE, understanding and godliness in our world, we are still trying to outdo each other in building a bigger, better and more reprehensible weapon of mass destruction; one that will most likely annihilate everything within many, many miles of the eye of its atomic explosion, like the force of a hurricane radiates outwards from its eye, from its centre. 

And that’s the kind of foolish, short-sighted, greedy, egomaniacal, evil and ungodly world that’s highlighted in our 21st century. But then again, we might only be fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus found in Matthew 24, where He expounds to the disciples re His Second Coming and the end of the world. ‘Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers (various) places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.’ (Matt. 24:4-8) 

So, when the many wars and natural disasters begin occurring in our world, it’s not yet the end of the world, but just the ‘beginning of sorrows’ or the beginning of the end. And I doubt that anyone currently alive will doubt that all those things Jesus spoke about are happening with alarming frequency and heightened tension right now in our world. That brings us to Jesus’ continuation of the prophecy. ‘Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted (for tribulation), and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity (lawlessness) shall abound, the LOVE of many shall wax (grow) cold. But he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come.’ (Matt. 24:9-14) And all of God’s people said a loud and grateful: ‘Amen!’ 

 So there we have it friends, the decline in goodness and godliness and the rise in evil and hatred, that will preface the end of this church age. And we have seen all of those sad happenings down through the last years; the many false prophets and messiahs that have arisen and are still arising, preaching false doctrines, and leading many astray into false religious cults. Then there’s the increasing frequency and devastation of famines and pestilence and natural disasters all over, as well as worldwide tribulation, with an increase in hatred, as well as the abounding lawlessness that now has our world in its evil grip. 

And there’s absolutely no doubt that the LOVE of many, have indeed waxed or grown cold. I don’t know that there’s ever been a time when LOVE has been so absent from and so badly needed in our world. But the two most important aspects of it all my brethren are that the gospel of Christ will be preached all over the world. The missionary expansion of Christ’s church must first be accomplished to all the inhabited world, and we’re steadily getting there with all our new technology, so it shall not be too long before we also reach that prophesied goal. 

However, the clincher in all of that rhetoric my people, are these few but life-saving and life-giving words of Jesus. ‘But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’ (Matt. 24:13) Now those are the words we should be most concerned with, for we cannot do anything much about the condition of our world, but we can certainly save our souls by hanging on tightly to Jesus, like white on rice. And to help us do that, let’s go, right now, to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking wisdom and guidance during this upcoming week. 

As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. 

That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.  And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

Now, its’ time for us to step up to the plate, change our evil ways and endure right down to the very end with Jesus! Much LOVE!

…the ONLY hope for man…is embracing Jesus…and NEVER letting Him go…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 May 2023 Matthew 22:36.

25 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 22:36.       Master which is the great commandment in the law?

So, we’ve finally arrived at Thursday, the day before the big day of Friday. But I’m sure many eyes, hopes and thoughts are not on today, but turned to that day of supposed freedom from work. (smile) However, here’s a li’l secret that I’ve learned in my own journey through life; you’re never free from the tyranny of work! You may sidestep it for a while, but it always brings you back to that flurry of activity inherent in making a living and a life worth living. 

And have you noticed that as our society gets more and more amenities and technologies that theoretically are supposed make our life less busy and stressful, we are instead getting busier and more stressed, until we’ve reached the point where stress is the number one illness in the land. Don’t ask me why that is, because I’m not an expert, not one of those qualified to give answers to such deep questions. (smile) But this I do know: our turning away from the God of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has something to do with the increased busyness and stress that we’re currently experiencing. 

That’s because a majority of us no longer seek His face, and thus cannot enjoy the peace, LOVE and joy that He’s promised to those who seek Him diligently. It’s all very simple yes, and simply spelled out in His Word, the Bible, the Good Library, the Guidebook for earthly living. When our forefathers sincerely followed the Lord, they enjoyed a level of peace, LOVE and joy that most of us in this society have never known. That’s because they acquiesced to His will and His word. And if you don’t believe me, let’s look at a few scriptures that would do us the world of good if we went back to following them. 

First of all, let’s look at the main tenets of our faith, the most important things we ought to do under God’s law. These are the words of Jesus, the Son of God when asked the question in a sarcastic manner by a lawyer, a supposed expert in the law, trying to tempt Him. Oh boy, lawyers seem to have been a two faced, forked tongued, distrustful lot from day one. (smile) 

Anyway, he asked: ‘Master which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:36-40) 

And that was nothing new to them, for it was the same thing Moses had said to their forefathers in the wilderness, after he led them out of bondage in Egypt. ‘Hear oh, Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.’ (Deut. 6:4-5) 

Now, according to Luke’s version of the incident, the expert in the law stood up and tried to test Jesus, by asking, ‘Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?’ (Luke 10:25-26) And the ole crook gave the same answers that Jesus gave in Matthew’s version. ‘And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, (the lawyer) willing (wanting) to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?’ (Luke 10:28-29) 

Oh, the deceit and hypocrisy amongst the ruling elite both then and now! But Jesus went along with the lawyer’s little game, and told him the parable of the Good Samaritan, where the priest, the Levite and a Samaritan passed a robbed an injured Jewish man on the road, and only the Samaritan, the hated cousins of the Jews, stopped to attend to him. (Luke 10:30-35) At the end, Jesus asks the ole crook, ‘Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do likewise.’ (Luke 10:36-37 Jesus certainly put him in his place. 

And that’s what happens when we try to play foolish games with God, like turning away from Him, and trying to remove Him and all signs of Him from our society! Remember, He is all powerful, knows everything and sees everything, while we are just His frail and fragile creation from the dust of the earth, to which we all eventually return, who have gotten too big for our britches because of the amazing things we have discovered and invented ONLY through His empowerment! What a sad day it becomes when the created thinks that he is bigger and ‘badder’ than his Creator! 

Don’t we remember all the terrible things that the Lord did to the Jewish people for their stubborn and willful disobedience? The many times their land was besieged and captured by warlike enemies. Don’t forget either when they couldn’t wait on Moses to come down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments and they got Aaron, his brother to make then a golden calf, called it their god and worshipped it. Then eventually Moses had the Levites, kill all of the idolaters. (Ex. 32:25-29) 

Now check out this scripture: ‘And the people spake against God and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our soul loatheth (detests) this light bread (the manna the Lord fed them every day). And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. 

And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld (looked at) the serpent of brass, he lived.’ (Num. 21:5-9) What irony; bitten by a snake, then saved by looking at a snake. Only our God could think up such a life-saving plan. (smile) 

But seriously though my people, can’t we see that the Lord’s chosen people, the Israelites suffered so many calamities because of their consistent disobedience. What else can we expect then from ours but the chaos and destruction that’s happening all around us eh? But as I also keep saying, when the Israelites discovered their error, they were quick to repent and turn back to the God of their forefathers who so LOVINGLY forgave them and restored them to righteousness with Him. 

Now, doesn’t it make sense for us to do like them and repent and turn from our evil ways and allow Him to heal our world, as He has so faithfully promised to do? But how many of us practice that term nowadays eh?  Not a whole lot. That means we’ll continue to go downhill, until we destroy ourselves, for the Lord is certainly not going to lend a helping hand unless we repent and turn back to Him. Anyway, for those of us who are sincerely trying to make that happen, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which have been generously offered by the Lord for us to do His earthly work. 

Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

Now, it’s time to take those underserved blessings and go out and use and share them as generously with others, as the Lord did with us. Much LOVE!

…LOVE and OBEDIENCE…that’s basically all the Lord our God asks of us… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 May 2023 Ecclesiastes 5:5.

18 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ecclesiastes 5:5.        Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

And having opened our bleary eyes to another bright and sunshiny Thursday morning, I believe that it’s only right to acknowledge the Lord’s part in such an amazing occasion, by offering Him some thanks and praise for His new mercies and compassions provided specifically for today. 

Yes friends, being alive and kicking today is most certainly an amazing and memorable occasion, for please remember the many who did not have the opportunity to awaken from restful slumber today, but have instead gone home to be with the Lord. And yes, in some instances that might have been better than waking up to this evil and ungodly world, but seeing as we are still here, it means that the Lord God Almighty has more work for us to do down here on His behalf. 

Now, finally, after all that rambling, (smile) let’s pray. ‘O Lord, thank You for allowing us to see another glorious day on planet earth and we praise Your holy name for all that You’re doing for us. Today though Lord, as our world spirals out of control, we specifically ask that You sustain us with Your Holy Spirit. Please give us an inquiring and discerning heart; the courage to do Your will and to persevere in whatever You lead us to. And please give us a spirit to know and to LOVE You, along with the gift of joy and wonder in all Your works. We promise to LOVE and obey You as best we can. Amen.’ 

And please believe me, my faithful brethren, that last part of our prayer was the most important: our promise to LOVE and obey God to the best of our ability. For none of the other things will happen until we keep that promise. The Lord did not ask us to make that promise, but we took it upon ourselves to do so, therefore it’s of the utmost importance that we fulfill it. Why is it so important you ask? Well, let’s allow Cousin Sol to tell us why, as the Preacher from the book of Ecclesiastes, where he offers this discourse on honouring vows made to God. 

‘Keep thy foot (walk prudently) when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready (draw near) to hear, (rather) than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through a multitude of business (effort or activity); and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.’ (Eccl. 5:1-3) 

Oh my people, Cousin Sol must still be alive and writing about our current society, for using his logic, our society indeed overflows with fools, because the multitude of words that flow forth from us is simply mind-boggling. I don’t believe there’s ever been another generation that talks as much as ours. And the sad part is that in this era of rampant social media, most of what we’re talking is utter foolishness, idiocy, many outright lies, overwhelming deceit and treachery and misinformation like never seen before. 

Unfortunately though, too many of us get away with the lies and deceit, hiding behind the tight walls of anonymity that the social media apparatus provides. But let’s remember though as Cousin Sol says, that God is in His high heaven, and we are on the evil earth and who knows what can or will happen to us when we engage in folly. But here’s the clincher of the whole story. (smile). He says: ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5) 

And that’s certainly the gospel truth my people! But it’s something we do all the time, make empty promises to God when we pray and ask if He will do this or that, we will do such and so. And when He does it, we completely forget our promise, until the next time we need something else from Him. But that’s pure foolishness my brethren. How long or often do we think we’ll get away with that insincere behaviour eh? Not long at all, for God knows what’s in our hearts better than we do. And He knows the insincere promises before they even are uttered out of our deceitful mouths. 

No wonder so many of us see our prayers go unanswered and wonder why. It’s because of the deceitfulness and dishonesty that the Lord sees in our hearts when we come so penitently, piously and innocently before Him. We can fool ourselves, but we can never fool God. And furthermore my fellow saints, as children of God, we should also only make vows to our fellow man if we intend to keep them. That’s another unpleasant aspect of our society, for it’s teeming with deceit and dishonesty. 

There’s never been as many fraudulent schemes as they currently are. You can’t answer the phone without someone trying to defraud you. The same goes for social media and internet applications. There’s no one you can safely trust these days. Even close family are selling out each other for a few lousy dollars. That’s why we need the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit that we prayed for earlier on. Otherwise, the many crooks, both in high and low positions will eat us up without us even knowing what happened. Such is the great evil that exists in our society today. 

And the best way to avoid most of that evil is by taking this advice of Cousin Sol’s to heart. ‘Suffer not (do not let) thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel (messenger), that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice (excuse), and destroy the work of thine hands?’ (Eccl. 5:6) Yes, don’t go making silly excuses when you break your vows, admit your mistakes and take your punishment. ‘For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities (futility abounds).’ (Eccl. 5:7) 

And that’s oh so true my friends. The more we dream and speak, the more mistakes and trouble we are liable to experience. So please, let’s be careful about how much we say, and about what we say. For remember, God in heaven, sees and knows all, but we down here on earth, don’t have a clue about what’s really going on. And for those of us who are sincerely trying to practice godliness, let’s go home declaring (steups!!!) our Thursday Blessings, that have been so generously bestowed on us by our heavenly Father, so that we can successfully do His earthly work. 

Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

Now, it’s our bounden duty to go out and use those blessings to do the Lord’s work, just as generously as they were shared with us. Much LOVE!

… words are very powerful…they can make or break us…so please…let’s think carefully before we talk… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 April 2023 Philippians 2:9.

27 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 2:9.       Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

And now it’s Thursday, the penultimate day of our workweek, and we’re looking forward ever so much to tomorrow, that’s Friday, because for two days, we cease the tiring and unpleasant act of travelling back and forth to a job that many of us despise and dislike, and only perform it, or rather endure it because of the insufficient financial rewards we receive and so badly need if we’re to survive in this rat race we call our civilization! And if that isn’t a Bruh Paulian sentence, then I don’t know what is. (smile) 

Ah friends, that statement might seem somewhat degrading and unfair, but it’s the indisputable truth. Many more people dislike their jobs than like them, and many would not go to them if they could find another way to make a living. And can you imagine the drudgery and resentment that so many of us put up with for two or three decades in a job that we dislike and thus don’t do to the best of our ability. I guess that’s because of the way the formulators of commerce and industry have set up our economic system without much thought to the welfare and benefit of the workers, but more so to the accumulation of profit for themselves. 

But as I recently said, our current system is so backward and not truly engineered for making the best use of our talents and efforts, as well as being psychologically and emotionally very draining. You’d think that a society that’s been to the moon and various planets around our solar system, could come up with a better system of labour than one that has hordes of people languishing in vehicles morning and evening, not going anywhere fast. It’s no wonder they end up drained and stressed out, and that the new age disease of stress is the number one killer in our society. 

Our forefathers didn’t even know the meaning of the word, but today it’s on everyone’s tongue, because we’re always so busy, but in reality going nowhere. We don’t have time to call or visit each other these days, because we’re so busy. But ask us what we’re busy doing, most of us can’t tell. Nevertheless, it’s the number one excuse nowadays for lack of family participation, camaraderie and true friendship. Imagine the sad situation where we have the best means of communication ever, almost instant messaging, but yet we’re possibly the most alone and loneliest generation the world has ever seen. 

And the great amount of oppression, suppression, violence, lawlessness, greed, deceit and fraudulent activities that now permeate our world don’t lend themselves to trust and friendship. The recent pandemic and the current upheaval in our political systems, where everyone is fighting for power by any means necessary, doesn’t help the situation either. So, what’s the answer to it all eh? And there can only be one answer; that’s to make Jesus our true Lord and Saviour, our King and Ruler! 

Why, you further ask? Because He’s the ONLY ONE who can handle the crazy, negative situation that exists in our world. Check it out nuh: He’s the Prince of Peace, the Wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father! (Is. 9:6) Now who else has all those marvellous attributes and talents eh? Nobody! That’s what makes Him fit to rule the world! And when you add some of His other names like the Lion of Judah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Rose of Sharon, the Calmer of Storms, the Best Guide and Pilot ever, on land, sea or air,  etc. etc. there’s absolutely no one else more qualified to run our lives and our universe. 

Then, when you get down to brass tacks and recognize the truth of the Bible, God’s inspired Word, where it says that because Christ was ‘found in fashion (appearance ) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those things in heaven, and those things in earth, and those things under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Gory of God the Father.’ (Phil. 2:8-11) 

Now friends, with all of that going for Jesus, who else is better qualified to run our world and our lives eh? Again I say: NOBODY! But yuh think people are running to Him in droves despite the adversity and tribulation we’re experiencing. No! A lot of us are in fact running away from Him! Why is that eh? One big reason is because the body He formed, called His church, is not doing enough to bring people to Him, but is sadly doing a lot to drive them away, with all the infighting, disunity and scandal that’s currently plaguing it. 

And we, as induvial believers aren’t doing such a hot job either, because we’re not living the way Jesus commanded us to live, like brothers and sisters, LOVING each other, treating each other with kindness and compassion. That’s one of the reasons there’s so much sickness, poverty and economic stagnation and depression in our world. The church and its members are not doing as much as it ought to stem the woes and the travesty of our society. Remember Jesus said that He came to save those who were lost, the sick and the suffering, the underprivileged and the prisoners, the widows and orphans. 

And if He is to be our shining example, our bright LIGHT, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God: (Heb. 12:2) then it’s obvious that we must make those things that He came and died for our priorities as well. And He’s such a wonderful Saviour that, knowing of our frailty, fragility, and finite shortcomings, He’s generously bestowed on us, all His followers, what we call our Thursday Blessings, to help us do His earthly work. Remember, He never asks us to do something without giving us the power and the tools to do it.

 So, this bright and sunshiny Thursday morning in late April, let’s declare (ah Lord eh!!!) our Thursday Blessings, so that we can activate them in our lives. As one strong voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

Now, let’s take those blessings and go out and share them, use them just as generously in the care and compassion of others, as Jesus used them with us! Much LOVE!

…there’s no getting away from it…ONLY JESUS…is truly qualified to rule the world… 

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

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