Today’s Scrip-Bit    13 September 2023 Genesis 41:28.

13 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 41:28.       This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharoah: What God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh.

And Wednesday has opened somewhat cool and cloudy, but the sun is valiantly fighting for survival, and who knows how it will turn out? We just have to hope for the best and believe that whatever comes our way, we will be able to handle it with the grace of our great God. And all God’s people said a loud ‘Hallelujah! Amen!’ 

That’s the beauty of living with and for Jesus; nothing that happens will steal our peace or bring us to the point where we lose interest and thus faith in Him. For once He is in our life, we are surely more than conquerors, and can do all things that He desires, through the awesome power of His Holy Spirit. So, one thing believers ought not to fall prey to is the satanic encouraged emotion of fear. For as Bruh Paul so rightly writes to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) 

And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Our omnipotent God has certainly not given us a spirit of fear! Why would He when He is the supreme ruler of the universe and all therein? Surely, He would not want His followers to be afraid, but rather to be strong and unflappable like Him. (smile) Anyway, with that li’l pep talk for this Wednesday morning, let’s get back to the drama that is Bruh Joseph’s story. Yesterday, we left off where Pharaoh told Bruh Joseph his dream. Today, we’ll pick it up where Bruh Joseph interprets Pharoah’s dream. 

The Good Library tells it thus: ‘And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine (cows) are seven years; and the seven good ears (of corn) are seven years: the dream is one. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine (ugly cows) that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears (of corn) blasted (blighted) with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.’ (Gen. 41:25-27) 

And who says our great God doesn’t move in mysterious ways eh? Who else would have thought to place such a mixed-up dream in Pharaoh’s mind, all to the favour of a young Hebrew man ensconced so unfairly in the Pharoah’s jail? No one but our great and omnipotent God! 

Then Bruh Joseph continued to Pharaoh. ‘This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharoah: What God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout the land of Egypt: and there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume (deplete the food) of the land. And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following: for it shall be very grievous. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice (repeated); it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.’ (Gen. 41:28-32) 

Wow! Imagine this young Hebrew man expounding to one of the most powerful rulers in the world on what his Hebrew God planned to do in the near future. Poor Pharaoh must certainly have wondered what was really happening. But to his credit, he listened intently to Bruh Joseph’s words. 

And so he continued: ‘Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet (discerning) and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers (overseers) over the land, and take up the fifth part (of the produce) of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn (grain) under the hand (authority) of Pharoah, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store (a reserve) to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through famine.’ (Gen. 41:33-36) 

Bruh Joseph was certainly in his element, telling the great Pharoah how to handle the affairs of his country. No doubt he was buoyed by the grace of God, the spirit that made him not afraid to speak what God was saying to him. Now that’s how we ought also to be my faithful brethren; unafraid to speak God’s word, regardless of how worldly powerful the person or people with whom we are communicating. And sadly, in these trying and fearful times, many of us believers are indeed afraid to voice the truth(s) of our faith, afraid that we will either be rejected and shunned by our peers, or in some cases actually punished for our faith. 

But remember, as we said earlier, God did not give us a spirit of fear, but one of LOVE, power and a sound or disciplined mind, which means we have to be like Bruh Joseph and stand up bravely and speak whatever truth the Lord desires us to speak to whomever He directs us to speak. And yes, that’s easier said than done, but that’s all a part of our discipleship in Christ. Remember the tough requirements to become a member of that august and awesome group? ‘Jesus said to them all, If any man will come after me (desires to follow me), let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) 

Yes friends, that means every day we draw breath, we’re expected to take up our cross and do like Jesus did, sacrifice ourselves if, when, and where necessary. There can’t be any hemming and hawing or wishy-washy behaviour when it comes to representing Christ to the world at large. And if God decides to spare our lives, tomorrow we’ll continue with the amazing saga of Bruh Joseph, but now, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our marvellous position in Christ Jesus! 

Altogether: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And my brethren, it’s been promised that if we endure to the end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s plan to meet at the very end with Jesus and enjoy that future nuh! It’s the wisest decision we can ever make! Much LOVE!

…faithful disciples of Christ…are not afraid to speak their truth… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 July 2023 Ephesians 6:11.

19 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 6:11.      Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.

Oh friends, this Wednesday is going to be another glorious summer’s day! It might not be boiling hot, but it’s sunny, nice and cool, just the way I like it! (smile) After being in this climate of changing seasons for so long, it seems like I can’t handle the heat as well I use to it. I guess it’s like the old people would say; after one time is two. And isn’t it amazing that for almost every scenario in our lives today, we can quote something from our fathers and forefather’s generations that tie in so nicely with them. It just goes to show that the basics of life don’t change that much from generation to generation. 

As Cousin Sol so wisely said, writing as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes: ‘The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.’ (Eccl. 1:10) And that’s basically true, for though we might have some new inventions, our basic behaviour and the things we do through this life are just like the ancients did. Get up, work, eat, sleep, party, be sinful, and hopefully praise God, while LOVING each other, then die. 

It’s only the how, not the why, that’s been changed down through the ages. We have invented ways to live better, but also ways to be more sinful and ungodly, and, unfortunately, the latter behaviour is what’s currently ruling the roost in our world, which is a crying shame! One would have thought that by now, with all of our enlightened accomplishments and vast learning, mankind would have realized that godliness is ever so much better than evil doing and sinfulness. But no, the devil has gotten his evil claws into so many of us, that godliness is running in second place in our world, and a far second place too. 

This however is wholly unacceptable my fellow believers. We cannot allow the evil doers to control our world, especially after all the sacrifices our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ made on our behalf! No! We have to get up, put away our fear, or whatever is holding us back, and attack the enemy full force, mano a mano, not run away from him like scared rabbits, as so many of us are now doing. Jesus stood up staunchly for us, it’s now our turn to stand up staunchly for Him, and He’s already given us all the tools to do the job, the great Commission, that He desires of us. 

And it’s all so easy; tell people about Him and the good things He wants to share with them, and live in a manner that will cause others to want what we have, the intimate relationship with Him. But it does mean putting ourselves out, sacrificing and not always living the easy, carefree, doh care life. And that’s what so many of us supposed believers shy away from. With all the wonderful amenities in our world, it’s become so easy to just relax on our lollies and do almost nothing, but still exist. 

And with the recent upgrade and breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence, brother, we’ll be doing even less than before, because this new invention will even think for us. Are we on our way to obsolescence my people? Who knows, but it ought to give us definite cause for concern, when our society is already filled with all sorts of fakes and untruthfulness, now we’re going to be even less sure if a real person was involved in a particular situation or thing, or whether it was the work of Artificial Intelligence. 

It’s already such a big part of our world, and without proper regulations, it’s only going to get bigger, more pervasive and more distrustful, like all of mankind’s inventions, especially with the evil and untrustworthy minds that are currently at the forefront of our world. And if any serious and worthwhile changes are going to be made in our world, it will have to be through the loud voices of Christians, because we are the only group who seem to want goodness, mercy and the LOVE of God to flourish. 

But that’s our very problem; our voices aren’t being heard, because they’re not plentiful or loud enough to make a difference, and until we make them loud and plentiful, nothing will ever change! That’s why I’m calling on us to rise up today, as one solid and unified body of Christ, His marvellous church, and dare the evil doers to stop us from taking over our heavenly Father’s world! It’s well known that evil doers are basically bullies who take advantage of their strengths, but are basically cowards underneath, and this is indeed a challenge for us believers to get on our horses and ride, ride for Jesus, like we should have been doing long ago! 

And it’s important that we don’t just rush in willy nilly without a proper plan and proper safeguards. That means before we go into battle, we must put on the whole armour of God! As Bruh Paul wrote to the Ephesians: ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph. 6:10-11) Then in verse 12, he goes on to explain that it’s not a physical battle we’re fighting, but a spiritual one. However, we still need protection even in spiritual battles, just a different kind. And what’s that you ask? 

Briefly speaking, it’s the truth of Christ girding your waist; the breastplate of righteousness guarding your chest; the eagerness of the gospel of peace on your feet; the shield of faith with which to divert the fiery arrows of the enemy; the helmet or hope of salvation to protect your head; the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God to fell your enemies, and finally prayer, which brings everything under its vital umbrella and without which no battle can be won! 

So we have all that we need to fight the enemy, except the courage and desire to do it. But please, let’s remember that our great ‘God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’  (2 Tim. 1:7) That means the only thing holding us back is our desire to engage the enemy, because we have everything else. And, sadly, that desire must come from deep within each of us, it must be a personal desire to sacrifice on Christ’s behalf. No one can make us do it. 

And for those of us who are willing to put up that fight, let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful, irreversible position in Christ Jesus. Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And if we endure to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine. So let’s promise ourselves to see it nuh! Much LOVE!

…fighting the good fight for Christ…is the believer’s bounden duty… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 March 2023 Hebrews 11:6.

02 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 11:6.      But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is (exists), and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Now I don’t know what area my weather forecasting computer is talking about when it says 2C Cloudy, but it’s certainly not my neighbourhood because outside of my place it’s a dry, bright and sunshiny as ever Thursday morning in early March 2023. And let’s hope it stays that way, because I’ve got to go out the street later and run some errands. And since it seems that the Lord was most willing for us to see another beautiful day on planet earth, then we have to keep our promise and continue looking at scriptures that tell us about faith and its relationship to fear and Jesus. (smile) 

Now, yesterday, we looked at several scriptures that showed where faith is of the utmost necessity if and when we choose to serve God. But first let’s see what exactly faith is. The Bible tells us that ‘Faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds (ages) were framed (prepared) by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (are visible)’ (Heb. 11:1-3) 

Yes friends, faith is basically believing for things we don’t see, yet hoping that if it’s the will of God, it will happen. It’s all about trusting God to do what’s right in our lives. And it’s so important that the author of Hebrews informs us: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is (exists), and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) And He goes on to name several men of God, who manifested great faith, like Noah, who built and ark just by God’s say so. 

Then there’s Enoch who pleased God so much that he didn’t die, but was simply translated from the earth, simply walked out of it, simply disappeared. (smile) And Abraham, the father of modern-day faith, who picked up his personal family and belongings and went out into the wild, somewhere unknown, simply because a God he did not know told him to do it and made several promises of what would happen if he did. Abraham was even willing to offer up his one son of his old age Isaac, because God told him to, testing his faith. And you can find all those stories of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. 

Now, obviously not all of us will ever reach the level of faith that those heroes achieved, but it’s what we desperately need to work towards if we are to live the victorious life that Christ died for us to have. And the author of Hebrews gives us yet another poignant word on faith, which says: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering (for he is faithful that promised.) (Heb. 10:23) Oh my people we need to steadfastly hold on to our faith in God because our God is ever-faithful, He does not disappoint those who put their sincere trust in Him. 

That doesn’t mean that life will be a bed of roses, and everything we want we will get, but it does mean that most things in God’s will, if it’s in His plan for our lives we will get them. God will not allow anything or anyone but us, to stop our destiny. And sometimes He won’t even allow us to do it, He’ll keep applying the pressure so that we eventually give in and do it His way. I can tell you that from personal experience. For if I had had my way, I wouldn’t be writing the Bit today. But His tenacity eventually forced me to capitulate. (smile) 

And let’s not forget this most important fact: God is not there to please us and make our every whim and fancy come true. We are in existence to please Him, to do His will, to live out the plan He has in store for every life that He creates. Let’s remember that He is the Master and we the slaves, He’s the Father and we the children, He’s the Potter and we the clay, and He can shape us any which way He desires, and we need to go along with His will through staunch and true faith in Him. 

Now here’s this other beautiful scripture on faith versus fear, that comes from the pen of Bruh Paul to his protégé Timothy. He writes: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound  (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) Wow! What an amazing scripture. It shows that from the very get go, the Lord has given us a spirit of faith, not of fear, but like all the other stuff He’s given us, we need to then nourish that faith. It’s like the fruit of the Spirit, the seeds of which we all have planted in our inner man, but we then have to water and nourish them so that they can grow and be manifested in our actions. 

That means, as Gal. 5:22-23 explains: the seeds of LOVE, joy, peace, long-suffering (patience), gentleness (kindness), goodness, faith (faithfulness), meekness, temperance (self-control) were all planted in us the day we accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit then came to dwell within us. But those fruit of godliness and righteousness can’t, or won’t manifest themselves in our behaviour until and unless we water and nurture them and help them to grow into beautiful fruit of the Spirit. And please note that faith (faithfulness) is one of those fruit that needs to be nourished and nurtured by us, if we expect them to show forth in Jesus’ name. 

And I’m chuckling here because time and space have again forced us to close for the day, and we haven’t even spoken about Jesus and the subject of faith in His life yet. But hopefully, if God allows us to see tomorrow, we will get to Jesus yet. That’s a promise! (smile) Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has 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!’ 

Now, if we were sincere about those declarations, (ah Lord eh!!!) let’s go out and share them just as generously in helping others as Jesus did with us. Much LOVE!

…faith is of the utmost importance in the Christian’s life…but unfortunately…it can only be learned by hard experience… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 November 2022 Luke 9:23.

28 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Luke 9:23.        If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

So it’s Monday! What’s the big deal about that eh? Monday comes around every week, and we face it, with hope, prayer and faith in Almighty God, successfully defeat it and move on to the next day. And the reason why so many of us are in a tizzy come Monday morning is because we don’t make proper preparations for it on Sunday evening. 

Oh friends, the only way to successfully greet a new day is by being prepared for it, having some plan(s) to take it under our wing and control it, rather than have no plans, and allow it to control us. And since we all know that Monday is a day of work, it should be common sense, not rocket science to prepare for it beforehand, so that we’re not aimlessly rushing around looking for stuff on Monday morning. Surprisingly, no other day of the workweek seems to give us as much trouble as Monday, the one we have the most time to prepare for. Perhaps that’s the problem; we have too much time to prepare for it, so we keep putting it off until it’s too late. 

That recalls Cousin Sol’s wise words from Proverbs: ‘He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.’ (Prov. 25:28) And this other Proverb describes the same thing. ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ (Prov. 16:32) Likewise this one: ‘The discretion (self-control) of a man deferreth his anger (makes him slow to anger); and it is his glory to pass over (overlook) a transgression.’ (Prov. 19:11) 

Yes my people, self-control is an essential aspect of successful living. In fact, it’s possibly the most important aspect, because if we don’t have it, we won’t be able to do the other necessary things properly. And remember it’s a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which means it will only flourish if we allow the Holy Spirit to water and nurture the godly seed planted in us. And the Bible gives us oodles of scriptures that bear out the importance of self-control, so let’s look at a few, hoping that they will help us in our ongoing battle with life. 

And probably the most famous one is that written to Timothy by Bruh Paul: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And to both Timothy and Titus, Bruh Paul wrote about the qualities needed for bishops and deacons as well as for ordinary believers and they all include that aspect of self-control. (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9, 2:1-10). And as well, in his treatise to Timothy on apostasy (turning away from faith in God) Bruh Paul writes that one of the signs would be ‘incontinent men,’ that’s men without self-control. 

Meanwhile Peter in his second epistle writes to the Jewish diaspora regarding growing in grace, in spiritual maturity. ‘And beside this (but also for this very reason), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue (moral excellence); and to virtue knowledge (spiritual truth); and to knowledge temperance (self-control); and to temperance patience (endurance); and to patience godliness; (2 Pet. 1:5-6) 

Now we can all see that the importance of self-control is no lie by just looking at the terrible state of our current world filled with so much confusion and strife, dissatisfaction, greed and an insatiable hunger for power, most of which is driven by a lack of self-control. 

And if you want it clearer than all that, then listen to Jesus as He discusses the terms of discipleship in His organization. ‘If any man will (desires to) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That’s as plain and straightforward as you can get. You have to be bubbling over with self-control to follow Jesus, meaning denying your own desires and instead following His. And there is more to say on the subject, but since I’m aspiring to keep the Bit as short as possible (smile) we’ll leave that for tomorrow, God willing. 

The next step then is to go to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn asking for divine assistance. Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

And for us to get a positive reaction, it’s imperative that we keep our promises and show some improvement in our daily lives. Much LOVE!

…self-control is like body building…you have to exercise it for it to grow… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 September 2022 Proverbs 25:28.

08 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 25:28.       He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Awright my Scrip-Bit friends and families, we down to the penultimate day of the work week… But wait, is it really Thursday already? Brother, these days passing too quickly for me yes…and I don’t think I’m bearing sufficient fruit in them nuh. It’s also the 8th of September too! The month and week just began, and they are already speeding away from us. But I guess that’s just life, how the Lord designed His universe to function, and those of us who don’t keep up with nature’s momentum, are just going to be like the word that falls on barren ground…left in the dust…fruitless. (smile) 

Anyway, yesterday I did bear one good fruit, that of cleaning up a stack of papers I had sitting below my computer for ages. You know when you are a writer, or claim to be one, you always have li’l bits of paper with notes and such scribbled on them. Well, I’ve been meaning to go through that stack for a while now, but could never get around to it. Don’t go clapping yet, I have another stack on the other side to go through too. (smile) And when I finally got around to it yesterday, lo and behold I discovered this gem of a prayer that I haven’t seen for years. 

That’s one of the benefits of going through old papers; you often find marvellous stuff in them. Now I must have shared this prayer before, because it’s too nice and too appropriate a prayer for me not to have shared, and I guess that’s why it’s been amongst those bits of papers, waiting to be shared again. (smile) It was apparently published in 2015 in a post named ‘Mary’s Musings – Life and times of a small town Nana.’ And is it ever appropriately titled – ‘A Prayer for Later Years.’ 

So please pray with me: ‘Lord, thou knowest that I am growing older. Keep me from becoming too talkative, and particularly keep me from falling into the tiresome habit of expressing an opinion on every subject. Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details. Give me wings too to get to the point. Give me the grace, dear Lord, to listen to others describe their aches and pains. Help me to endure the boredom with patience and keep my lips sealed, for my own aches and pains are increasing in number and intensity, and the pleasure of discussing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. 

Teach me the glorious lesson that, occasionally, I might be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not wish to be a saint (saints are so hard to live with), but a sour old person is the work of the devil. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not pushy; independent; yet able to accept with graciousness favours that others wish to bestow on me. Free me of the notion that simply because I have lived a long time, I am wiser than those who have not lived so long –(although it’s often true- my addition). 

If I do not approve of some of the changes that have taken place in recent years, give me the wisdom to keep my mouth shut. Lord knows that when the end comes, I would like to have a friend or two left. The author is unknown but I wish I had written it. I think it is appropriate for those of us of a “certain age.”  

And is it ever my brethren! Yuh know the older you get, the more you believe you have the freedom and the right to do and say as you please. (smile) You believe you have earned that liberty simply by living a long time and seeing many changes. But even when we’re old, we still need to somewhat curtail our mouths and tongues, and not give free reign to every thought that comes into our often forgetful minds. 

But yuh know what, that prayer isn’t only appropriate for old folks, but also for young ones…possibly even more so, as the young uns nowadays just like to talk and carry on about stuff they know nothing about. In our days it was, don’t speak until you’re spoken to, and then with as few words as possible. But today, with the lack of manners taught to this generation by we the parents – yes some of the blame must fall on our shoulders – and with the introduction of the internet and social media, the freedom to open our yaps, and anonymously too, is driving our society into the barren ground of chaos and upheaval. 

And what does it all mean eh? I guess that in today’s busy and crazy world, the fruit of the Spirit termed self-control is sadly lacking. And what is self-control? One writer describes it thus: ‘Self-control (“temperance” in the KJV) is, of course, the ability to control oneself. It involves moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to our baser desires and fleshly lusts.’ And is our fleshly lusts and baser instincts ever getting away with the proverbial act of murder nowadays! 

Why is that eh? Because too many believers are still dallying with stuff that drives them to sin. And yes, self-control ought to help us avoid them, but oftentimes, the only way to overcome some of those bad habits is to stay completely away from the things that cause them. And there are several scriptures that talk about self-control, like this famous one from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘For the Lord hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) 

That means we have the Spirit of self-control. But why put ourselves unnecessarily in places where we have to use it to a great extent, when we can simply avoid some of those places eh? Cousin Sol also had a lot to say on the subject. Check out these two verses. ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ (Prov. 16:32) And the other verse says: ‘He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.’ (Prov. 25:28). 

Yuh see friends, how important self-control is! If you don’t have it, you’re like a defenseless city, open to the invasion of sin. But when you have it…oh…you’re better than the strong man and the conqueror of cities! Wow! And unfortunately, self-control is one of our world’s biggest problems, driving all sorts of strife, evil and ungodly doings. But thankfully, our great and wonderful God has given us tools to handle any situation we encounter, including what we call our Thursday Blessings. So please, declare them with me now, so that we can activate them and get ourselves straightened out. 

As one strong and confident 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!’ 

Oh my fellow saints, with all those tools in our toolbox, there’s nothing that we can’t handle, especially with God’s added help. So please let’s get out into the world and do our best to spread His gospel nuh, bring good news and glad tidings to the downtrodden and oppressed, so that they too can join His merry band of followers. That’s our bounden duty! Much LOVE!

…if you can’t handle the heat…then stay out of the kitchen… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 August 2022   1 Timothy 4:8.

19 Aug 2022 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 4:8.       For bodily (physical) exercise profiteth little: but godliness (the result of spiritual exercise) is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

TGIF friends! TGIF! Yes, thank God it’s Friday and another arduous week of work is almost over, and a glorious weekend is imminent. (smile) And sadly, instead of living for Christ, a lot of us simply live for the weekend, that’s rest from our earthly labour and enjoyment of the worldly pleasures available. No wonder our lives seem so arduous and out of our control. But when we live for Jesus, our lives are never arduous. They might be hard, difficult, even very trying, but never arduous, because arduous implies a lot of our own energy and strength is put into our daily living. 

However, when we make Jesus our number ONE companion, He enables us to work smart, to work with wisdom and not as laboriously as we do on our own. As the song says: ‘With Jesus I know I can make it. No matter what may come my way, I know that I can make it, My life is in your hands.’ And that’s the only way to live this earthly life; with Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, Good Shepherd and Comforter! 

When we surrender our lives to Him, His goodness runs after us. He breaks whatever chains of sin and sadness in which we are entangled. We no longer have to run down life or anything in it, because He provides everything we need. He said it very clearly in His Sermon on the Mount. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) 

Yes my people, just as the Lord looks after all the other things He created in Mother Nature, He will likewise look after His greatest creation, the human being. And why wouldn’t He eh, when we’re made in His image, and are filled with His breath of life, and He controls all that we are and do? It just wouldn’t make any sense to just ignore and abandon us to the evil enemy Satan, after taking so much time, energy and pride to create us. The problem though is that in this fallen and sinful world, the enemy wields much power and influence and thus wants to frighten us into doing his ungodly will. 

But there again, when we give our lives to Jesus, He imbues us with His Holy Spirit that then fills us with spiritual power to do His will. As Bruh Paul so confidently said to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7). 

Oh my fellow believers, that verse of scripture should be one we hold right at the front of our minds and hearts because in these days of constant fear, where fear seems to be bombarding us from all sides, we need it to keep reminding us that fear is not something that we deal in, that we have a spiritual power in Christ Jesus that overcomes fear. And we do need to exercise that spiritual power just like we exercise our bodies. 

Why, you ask? Listen to Bruh Paul again as he advises Timothy on the subject. ‘For bodily (physical) exercise profiteth little: but godliness (the result of spiritual exercise) is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.’ (1 Tim. 4:8) And that’s the awesome truth my brethren. Spiritual exercise or godliness ‘has unlimited value, since it brings blessings for both now and eternity.’ And who doesn’t want to have a good life now and in the hereafter eh? 

That’s what we all want, but it only comes through strong association with Jesus. However, for any number of reasons, most of them foolish and prideful, and thus sinful, many of us choose not to have an association with Christ Jesus. But that’s the worst decision any human being can ever make, for it deprives them of so many wonderful benefits available under Jesus’ all-encompassing umbrella. 

I don’t like to keep harping on it, (smile) but it’s my job to keep reminding us that without Jesus as the mainstay of our lives, neither the abundant life on earth nor salvation that leads to eternal life in heaven are possible. The only other option we have is that of spending the afterlife with Satan in total damnation and death in hell and eventually the lake of fire where all the damned will be destroyed forever. Now, if you believe that the sinful pleasures of the world are worth that kind of end, then go right ahead and enjoy them. 

But if you don’t like that kind of ending to your life, then you need to put your trust in Jesus Christ right now, for later might be too late. The grim reaper might just come calling sooner than you expected, or Christ might choose to come back today, and if any of those situations occur without you accepting Him as Lord and Saviour, then crapaud smoke yuh pipe. In other words, it’s too late and Satan’s place is where you’ll automatically be headed for. That’s why it’s ever so important to accept Christ as soon as possible. And that’s the end of today’s sermon! (smile) 

Now, let’s turn to the most important and powerful weapon in our arsenal; that of prayer, or communication with our Creator. We’ll do that by declaring (ah Lord eh!) our Friday Chant. As one strong and confident, but humble 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!’ 

And now it’s time for us to get serious and show the Lord that we are truly faithful believers by our words, deeds and motives, so that He can positively answer our prayer. Much LOVE!

…Jesus…the only wise and sensible choice in this life… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   6 August 2022   2 Timothy 1:7.

06 Aug 2022 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 1:7.        For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or disciplined mind.

Okay! So our lazy day Saturday is here again. Let’s give sincere thanks for it, because many of us do need it after a hard week’s work. And I’m not saying that tongue in cheek, or sarcastically, because many people do put in a decent effort during the work week and deserve a day to just relax and do nothing if they so desire. And then there are those of us who don’t do very much, but still take advantage of Saturday to do nothing. But that’s just life, and there’s nothing much we can do about it. 

Anyway, let’s see if we can do something with the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week nuh, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. (smile) And the first one says: ‘Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.’ Now parts of that statement are very true. Our time on earth is very limited, as compared to eternity, and we should not waste it by living other people’s lives, as per their sometimes unreasonable or unreasoned thinking. 

And I guess they have dogma in a negative light here, although we do need to see it in a positive one, where ‘an official system of principles or tenets concerning faith, morals, behavior, etc.’ is necessary, if a society is to live in harmony and not constant chaos. The problem is that sometimes others take those principles too far, or too much for granted and want to keep us tied down to them, thus change and improvement are impossible. But then again, no society can exist and prosper without a certain amount of change. The same goes for individuals. 

So, we all need to put on our thinking caps and consider what is actually good for us, despite what others think or say. And as a believer in Christ Jesus, we have the best brains from which to pluck that wisdom; the brains of Almighty God! Yes friends, we can always go to the fountainhead of wisdom and ask for some. As James, Jesus’ brother writes in the Good Book. ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting).’ (James 1:5-6) 

There we have it my brethren. True wisdom is available to us if we ask it of the Lord in faith, not doubting. And we know that He has a plan for every life He creates, so we can kill two birds with one stone there: going to Him for basic wisdom and also asking His plan for our individual lives. Wow! No other faith offers such an amenity! (smile) 

And that takes us to the next quote: ‘Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.’ Yes, by no means should believers fear failure so much, that it keeps us from getting into the game of life. For remember these immortal words of Bruh Paul to Timothy on the subject. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound or disciplined mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) 

That’s the absolute truth! And one of Jesus’ favourite sayings while here on earth was ‘fear not.’ Thus, though fear will come against or upon us, it should not prevent us from living a wise and fulfilling life, especially if we are true believers in Christ, because He died for us to have an abundant life, beginning right here on earth. (John 10:10) 

Consequently, all of that is showcased in this next quote which proclaims: ‘Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.’ And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Too often, too many of us give up just before we are about to taste the sweet flavour of success. And why is that, you ask? For many reasons, like lack of funds to continue, lack of passion, frustration from too many failed times, push back from others, etc. etc. 

But what we don’t realize is that the old adage, the darkest hour is the one just before the dawn, is absolutely true! The toughest times in our lives are when we are just about to achieve success. So, it behooves us not to give up, to always do our best to keep keeping on, even when it looks the gloomiest, especially if you belong to Jesus, because there’s no giving up in His vocabulary. (smile) And that keeping on is not always easy to do, but please remember that with Jesus, everything is possible! 

And so, we come to this interesting quote. ‘Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.’ Truthfully, I don’t know what to say about that nuh. (smile) Because on one hand it seems to be true, but on the other hand, I have the feeling that money and success do change people. I’ve seen too many people who seemed genuinely down to earth get swellheaded, arrogant and egotistic after achieving a li’l success and money. Oh, I know that deep down many of us harbour attitudes of pride, arrogance, greed and egotism, attitudes that don’t show up if we have no material wealth or success to talk about. 

But are we inherently that bad? I refuse to believe it. If so, what happens to those Christians whom the Lord chooses to bless with money and success eh? And there are plenty of them around. Do they all turn into evildoers? Think of the relatively poor woman in the U.S. who recently won a billion dollars. Is she suddenly going to become and ogre? Now it’s certainly possible, but I prefer to believe that there must be some inherent goodness in mankind, that the acquisition of success and money won’t turn us all into evil monsters. 

Look at all the wealthy and successful people in the Good Book, who weren’t evil, but godly. People like Abraham, Job, Cousin Sol, Bruh David and a host of others. If we have Jesus as the foundation of our lives, material wealth and success should not bring out the evil in us. 

And the last quote declares: ‘Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.’ Now that’s true! Happiness doesn’t just fall from the sky; it comes as a result of something we do, some action we take. But unfortunately, not everything we do brings us happiness. That’s possibly because we haven’t done the right thing or things that bring happiness. But be assured that we won’t see happiness unless we get up and seek it. It’s out there just waiting for us to come and get it. 

And in closing, I’ll be even so generous as to tell you where to find that happiness you’re so badly needing and looking for. (smile) True happiness is only found in the Son of God, the One called Jesus, the Sinless One who died on the cross at Calvary to redeem our sinful souls! Only by accepting Him as Lord and Saviour, will you ever find true happiness! And that’s the indisputable truth! Much LOVE!

…everything in life becomes better…when Jesus is our foundation stone… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 June 2022 Ephesians 6:12.

24 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 6:12.       For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of) wickedness in high places.

So friends, we’ve come to the end of another work week, another Friday, with a host of people, good, bad and indifferent joyfully shouting: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ Yes, even the ones who don’t believe in God, or don’t even know Him, shout it. It’s like a universal mantra, where a great load is unburdened and the supposed weary slaves, many of whom are thoroughly lazy and do as little work as possible, (smile) are set free for a couple of days. And believe me, that also applies to Christians, for we do talk a good talk, but can be rather unchristian in our walk. And that’s why so many unbelievers refuse to listen to us, we don’t practice what we preach, as much as we ought to. 

All over the globe, Christians have a reputation for being hypocrites, and in a lot of cases the name is well-deserved. So, unfortunately, the many are tainted by the deeds of the few, and that is definitely not the character trait Christ wants the world to have of His church, of those who profess faith in His name and all that He’s done for mankind. And we all know how difficult it is to correct a bad reputation, even one that is untrue. Therefore, those of us who try to do the right thing are often faced with an uphill battle, not of our making. 

But let’s remember that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ is omnipotent, and gives us the tools to do whatever He desires of us. So, if He desires us to evangelize the world, then there’s nothing the world can do to stop us. We just have to faithfully believe and get up the gumption to do Christ’s work, because we have all the necessary tools to otherwise do it, backed up all the way by the awesome power of the Holy Spirit! That means fear of failure should be a no-brainer. Remember what Bruh Paul told Timothy about fear? ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) 

Consequently, Christ’s followers ought to be positive, optimistic, powerful and fearless. Yes, it’s a lot to ask in this scary, turbulent and deceitful world. And though none of us will ever be perfect, because it’s not in our DNA, for only Jesus is perfect, I know that we can all come up higher than the level we are currently at. It all depends on our state of mind, our state of maturity, and if we truly want to be good soldiers for Christ. The battle is not easy, and is not one we can see, for it’s being fought in the spiritual realm, but believe me, it is still as real as if we could see it. 

Bruh Paul explained it thus to the Ephesians. ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of) wickedness in high places.’ (Eph. 6:12) So we really are in a battle, and one to the death, for the forces of evil will not give up, and neither should we. 

Meanwhile, here’s how the scholars explain that verse. ‘6:12. Wrestle, used of hand to hand combat, emphasizes the personal and individual nature of spiritual warfare waged against each local church and Christian. Flesh and blood refers to humanity. Such is not the church’s adversary. Instead, she opposes principalities (rulers), powers (authorities), rulers (world-rulers), spiritual wickedness (wicked spiritual beings), that is, fallen angels, demons, and Lucifer (Satan) himself.’ 

It is therefore an all-encompassing war that will not end until Jesus comes back and sets up his kingdom. These words of Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth also highlight the kind of warfare in which we are continually engaged. ‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after (according to) the flesh. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (of the flesh), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations (arguments), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ (2 Cor. 10:3-5)  

Yes my brethren, the scholars tell us that ‘Though we walk (live) in the flesh (in a body), we do not war (fight) after (according to) the flesh (human standards): The first phrase of verse 5 looks back to verse 3 and expresses the manner in which believers conduct spiritual warfare. It is by casting down (destroying) imaginations (false arguments) such as Paul’s opponents have raised.’ 

Oh my people, please remember that it’s in our minds that spiritual warfare is being fought; the devil tries to invade our minds with evil, ungodly thoughts, but we need to fight him mano-a-mano, taking every thought into captivity, that’s checking it out, using the Holy Spirit to make sure that it lines up with the word and desires of Christ. And if it doesn’t, then kicking it out! 

That’s why James warns us to ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded….Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ (James 4:7-8, 10). 

And Peter strongly advises, ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet. 5:8-9) 

Oh my fellow saints, it’s time for us to truly get serious about the battle in which we are engaged. Once you call yourself a believer in Christ Jesus, there’s no getting away from it. So please, let’s raise our level of passion, of faith and sincerity and thus put up a better fight in Jesus’ name nuh. He’s depending on us. There’s no one else to fight for Him and His church and kingdom but us. Now let’s take the first step in that direction, prayer, and through our Friday Chant, approach the throne of grace with confident humility. 

As one 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!’ 

And, as always, after prayer, you keep whatever promises you’ve made, then wait patiently, with expectant faith for God to answer…in His own time. (smile) Much LOVE!

…the battlefield of the spiritual world is our mind…so please ensure we have on our spiritual armour… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 June 2022 Psalm 119:105.

07 Jun 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:105.        Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Well, a good Tuesday morning to all you my wonderful Scrip-Bit friends and families! And I sincerely hope that all of us have the wonderful light of Jesus shining in us this day, regardless of the weather we are currently experiencing, which, in my case, is wet and cloudy. (smile) But that’s the good thing about the light of Jesus, it shines whatever the actual state of the weather. Bless His Holy name! Consequently, I can’t understand why many more people are not turning to Jesus in these dark, dreary, confused and strife-filled times, when He is the epitome of light shining in the darkness. 

He said it Himself: ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) And though the Pharisees didn’t believe Him, because He witnessed to Himself, or blew His own horn, the truth is, He is indeed the ONLY ONE who can light our way when the enemy and his dark and evil schemes come marching, or rather creeping up on us. For let us remember that the deadliest sins don’t leap up on us, but they creep up stealthily like the wily devil, their originator. 

That’s why this magnificent, reassuring and poignant verse of scripture should be written deep in our hearts and thus always be at the tip of our tongues when the forces of darkness try to overcome us. So please say it with me, with strong conviction and confidence: ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) And yuh better believe it is my friends! For it is only through the grace and mercy of God’s Word can we ever make it successfully through this earthly life. 

And if by chance God’s Word isn’t currently a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path, then you’d better make it so real soon, like today, like right now, if you truly desire to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Bruh David said it in so many words. ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps. 27:13) Yes friends, if we don’t believe in God, His goodness and mercy, His unconditional LOVE and compassionate heart, then there’s little. or no chance, of seeing His goodness in our lives. 

Then Bruh David went on to make another monumental statement: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait (in faith), I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps. 27:14). That’s the other part to the story my people: first we believe, then we wait patiently, that’s in faith, on the Lord ‘s timing. For remember this other scripture which says so explicitly: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb. 11:6) 

That’s why faith is so important in our Christian walk. In fact, it’s the very basis, the Christ-like foundation on which we ought to build our lives. For as the author of Hebrews says about faith at the beginning of that chapter: ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb. 11:1) And as the scholars tell us, that isn’t so much a definition of faith, but what faith does. It provides substance and also evidence. That’s assurance and a sense of proof that results in conviction. 

And the scholars go on to explain: ‘The difference between assurance and evidence would be minimal were it not for the phrase qualifying each: of things hoped for and of things not seen. The first involves future hope; the second involves present realities that are unseen. The first includes the hope of the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the glorification of the saints (that’s us). The second involves unseen realities, such as forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice and the present intercession of Christ in heaven. Hope in faith relating to future conviction is faith relating to the present.’ 

So friends, regardless of whether we’re dealing with, or thinking about the present or the future, hope or great expectations, that lead to faith, is absolutely essential. In fact, in all walks of life, not only Christianity, is hope and faith totally necessary if we are to grow personally, or our organizations are to improve and become successful. And I believe these marvellous words of Bruh Paul in his letter to the Roman church, admirably describes it. ‘For we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly wait) for it.’ (Rom. 8:24-25) 

So, life in general, and our Christian walk in particular, calls for certain words and characteristics if they are to be successfully attained. Words like; hope, belief, faith, waiting, patience, perseverance, expectation, and doing them all with a modicum of eagerness even when there seems to be total darkness surrounding us. Life is a challenge friends, and the Christian one even a bigger hill to climb. The Lord didn’t make us to be soft and fragile, spinless and fearful, but full of belly and backbone so we can do His work. 

That brings us to these words of reassurance from Bruh Paul to Timothy, which we all know, but obviously don’t invoke, or use as often and as faithfully as we ought. So please declare with me: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) And those are words for us to continually live by my fellow saints! That’s because they reinforce the words we earlier spoke of, that God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. 

And with all of that under our belts; that is, written in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, ready to be put into action at a moment’s notice, there is no chance whatsoever for the powers of darkness to cover us and thus block out the light that’s our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! So please, let’s give Him the ultimate praise and thanks that we can ever give, not that from our mouths, but from the way we live our lives in His mighty name! 

Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel! Altogether now: ‘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!’ 

And having declared that, we must now go out and share that awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, just as generously as He’s shared it with us, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Why, you ask? Simply because it’s our bounden duty! (smile) Much LOVE!

…come hell or high water…Christ is the answer… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 April 2022 Galatians 5:25.

04 Apr 2022 Leave a comment

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

Galatians 5:25.      If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.

​Epilogue! Please excuse the lateness of the Bit, but after I began it, some unexpected personal problems developed, and like problems do, they took longer to fix than I desired. But I think it’s a good Bit, so I wish you enlightened reading. (smile)  

It’s time friends, on this sunny Monday morning, for us to get back into the everyday working world and keep on living for Jesus! After the resurgence of faith and confidence we’ve received yesterday from our session(s) of praise and worship, this opening day of Monday should be a cakewalk for us. (smile) And why not eh, if we’ve been refilled with the power and glory of the Holy Spirit, which guides believers to do mighty, marvellous and miraculous things, all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? 

As Bruh Paul said so confidently to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) So it’s not like we are going out to fight our battles all alone, but with the mightiest power in the universe standing right by our side. And also with the most powerful and protective armour in the universe: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and an amazing power of prayer and supplication to back it all up! 

Wow! What well-dressed, protected and well-led soldiers we are! That means there is no need to fear or be anxious when we’re walking in the omnipotence of our resurrected Saviour. Instead, we should be all ready and set, just rearing to get out there and fight a mighty battle, even to the death for our wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! 

It’s time to let the fruit of the Spirit blossom in our souls and lives, just like the bright new spring blossoms that will soon be appearing on the trees. The fruit of our Spirit has been lying dormant for the winter season, so now it’s time to let it blossom forth with new life: that’s new joy, new LOVE, peace, long-suffering, gentleness (kindness), goodness, faithfulness (dependability), meekness and temperance (self-control). 

A new season ought to bring forth new things in a believer’s life. We hear it in these fateful words of Bruh Paul to the Galatians, and consequently to us: ‘And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections (it’s passions) and lust. If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory (conceited), provoking one another, envying one another.’ (Gal. 5:24-26) 

Now, for some interesting explanations from the scholars re those verses. ‘5:24. At conversion every believer crucified the flesh, that is, in repentance he turned from and renounced his life of sin and all its wicked passions. This verse then implies that the virtues of verses 22-23, rather than the vices of 19-21, should characterize them that are Christ’s.’ Per ‘5:25. This verse means. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” That is, since the Spirit gave us new life at conversion, we then should try and stay in step with His leading and promptings throughout life.’ 

And as true believers, we all know that our goal is to follow the Holy Spirit as best we can, because He is our Guide, our Lead-Hand, our Comforter, our purveyor of truth, doing the work that Jesus desires of Him. Bruh Paul spelled it out  in his missive to the church at Rome, re Life in the Spirit. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for (on account of) sin in the flesh: That the righteousness (righteous requirement) of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:1-8) 

Bless the Lord, oh my soul! What marvellous and encouraging sentiments my fellow saints in Christ! As a believer we are not condemned, and though, as the scholars tell us: ‘There is nothing inherently wrong with the law, the presence of sin renders the believer powerless to do what the law demands.’ Simply stated, without the Holy Spirit, we could not live a righteous life. Because without Him, we are carnally minded, that is, we have our lives dominated by our basic sin nature. But when we walk in the Spirit, or are spiritually minded, having the Spirit of Christ control our lives, then we are enabled to live righteously! 

And since sin and God do not agree, are on opposite ends of the continuum, it naturally means if we live for the things of the flesh, then we can’t live for or please God. And that’s certainly not the wisdom we ought to entertain. So, let’s hope that all we’ve said today, will sink into our hearts and souls and help us to walk as we ought to…that’s in the Holy Spirit of Christ! 

Now, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, let’s go to the One who sits on the throne of grace, and repledge our allegiance, while asking for His awesome help. As one sincere but confident 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!’ 

And, in response to all those words, we now must go out and sincerely action them, if we desire a positive answer from the throne room of grace. Much LOVE!

…the law of man says yes…the Spirit says no…the law of man says no…the Spirit says yes…it is indeed a situation of enmity… 

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

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