Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 September 2022 Proverbs 3:35.

16 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:35.        The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion (legacy) of fools.

Yes friends, at long last it’s Friday. And we all exclaim with enthusiasm to burn: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Oh boy, the weekend is finally upon us, with no work and plenty of time to just party!’ And how the Lord and our employers do wish that we could have even a modicum of that enthusiasm for their faith and work. 

Ah my people, sadly our enthusiasm for work and God pales in comparison to the joy we feel for the coming of the weekend, because leisure and pleasure are our current idols. There’s little room for steadfastness and dedication, no work ethic or sense of purpose. No wonder our society is fast going to hell in a handbasket. We don’t realize that it’s a sincere work ethic and true belief in God that gives us the ability to get wealth and thus be able to afford leisure and pleasure. And that’s why all the great societies of this world have eventually failed and fallen from their great heights. 

It seems to be man’s nature that once we reach a certain stage of prosperity, we tend to slacken off and merely enjoy the fruits of our labour, without thinking or considering either the past or the future, simply the present. Meaning that we forget what brought us to our current level of prosperity; hard work and steadfastness in God, and likewise it will be those same things that will ensure our future prosperity. But no, we get bigheaded and full of ourselves, foolishly thinking that we can rest on our laurels and enjoy life. 

We conveniently forget the basic law of God’s universe; you reap what you sow. Thus, if you stop sowing good seed for any length of time, you will obviously not reap a good harvest. And unfortunately, leisure and pleasure don’t sow good seed, they just eat up, consume the harvest until there’s no more left to be consumed. So, wisdom dictates that if you want to keep on having some future leisure and pleasure you have to continue sowing good seed in the present, which will bring a harvest that will supply more leisure and pleasure. 

That’s why Cousin Sol warns us in Proverbs: ‘The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion (legacy) of fools.’ (Prov. 3:35) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! If we are not wise in this life, our legacy will be foolishness, simply because those are the only two options we have. Consequently, Cousin Sol further advises us to get wisdom, for ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour; when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to (place on) thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.’ (Prov. 4:7-9) 

Yes my brethren, wisdom is so important that even God used it in creating the universe and all therein. Cousin Sol gladly informs us that, ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths (deeps) are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.’ (Prov. 3:19-20) Therefore friends, if wisdom and understanding were so important in God’s creation of the universe, imagine how important it is to us nuh, especially in these turbulent and explosive times of today, with all kinds of lies, deceits and evil doings rampant in the world. 

And some of us are wondering what are these things called wisdom and understanding that are supposedly so important in living good lives. Well, wisdom is basically ‘skill in living, or wise behaviour.’ Meanwhile ‘understanding is the capability to distinguish between true and false, good and bad, what matters most and what does not matter at all.’ And for the best results, wisdom and understanding work in tandem. 

But it’s even more important to note that when we speak of wisdom, we’re not referring to what the world considers wisdom, since that varies and changes so much that you can’t base anything worthwhile on it. We’re talking about true wisdom, foundational wisdom; the kind that only comes from Almighty God, the Creator of the universe and doesn’t change or vary, for whatever reason. 

And James, the brother of Jesus tells us quite plainly. ‘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 him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8) Now that last sentence is an indisputable fact. So, when we go to God, seeking wisdom, or really anything at all, it is important that we don’t doubt that God can provide it, or will provide it, if it falls within His will for our lives. 

And here’s an interesting note from the scholars re verse 5 above. ‘This verse is not a blanket promise of wisdom for any situation. In the context of life’s trials, it probably speaks of the believer being granted (1) wisdom as to the reason for his trials and (2) wisdom to endure them.’ But this doesn’t mean that there’s anywhere better to go for wisdom in any situation at all than to God Himself. And one of the best examples of that is when Cousin Sol was made king of Israel after the death of His Father, Bruh David, and in a vision, the Lord asked him what he wanted. 

After acknowledging God’s goodness and mercy, (1 Kin. 9:5-8) he said: ‘Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people.’ (I Kin. 3:9) And that’s not rocket science friends, but simple common sense, if you believe in Almighty God! When you don’t know what to do, going to God in all sincerity and truth is always the best avenue. 

And I like how the Good Book records the results of Cousin Sol’s petition. ‘And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.’ (1 Kin. 3:10) Now, because Cousin Sol didn’t ask for wealth or the life of his enemies, but for wisdom and understanding, the Lord most graciously and generously gave him what he asked for, as well as what he hadn’t asked for, wealth and power. That’s how our great God operates my people! When we acknowledge Him with all honesty and truth, He blesses us more than we can imagine. 

And now it’s time to practice what we’ve been preaching; going to God for wisdom and understanding. Let’s do it as one strong voice, through our Friday Chant. ‘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 viruses 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 viruses 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, when we ask for heavenly help, it’s necessary for us to do our part in the partnership, by keeping our promises and having good motives. Much LOVE!

…a life wisely lived…is one that keeps God first place in it… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 September 2022 Psalm 105:4.

09 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 105:4.       Seek ye the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

Oh friends, it’s Friday, and many of us around the world have already shouted that seminal phrase: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But unfortunately, many of us around the world are also mourning the passing yesterday of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II, in her 97th year, having reigned for almost 71 consistent years on the throne of Great Britain, after being unexpectedly thrown into the spotlight by the abdication of her uncle and the death of her father. 

Just the numbers alone say a lot, and regardless of how you felt about the Queen herself, her family or the monarchy, you have to admit that we’ve lost one of the very few strong and steadfast leaders in our crazy world. Much of her power has been eroded over the years, but her diplomacy was legendary, and she was undoubtedly the one steady spoke in the wheel that kept the United Kingdom and many parts of the universe from falling apart or going on dangerous strategic runs. 

Let us pray that her son, King Charles III will keep that steadfastness and diplomacy of his mother going, because we desperately need a lot of that in our leaders, instead of the despotic, autocratic and dictatorial attitudes that are currently prevalent. Our sincere condolences to the Royal Family. We forget that they are people just like us, with the same human frailties and feelings. May the Lord receive you into His glory Queen Elizabeth the second! 

Ah mih people, with strife and hatred prevalent in more places around the world than peace and LOVE, it’s sad and frustrating to lose one of the few people who sincerely tried to keep matters on an even keel. But that’s life, we all have to go home to our Maker one day, and the world goes on in whatever fashion without us. And much to our chagrin, very few leaders in this day and age can be said to have made a positive difference in the lives of their people, and in the world in general. 

It’s interesting to note that the U.K now has a new King, or titular leader, and also a new Prime Minister, or active leader, a female at that. Hopefully that’s a sign for better days to come. In the meanwhile though, all of us plebs, (smile) must continue to do as the psalmist advises in Psalm 105. ‘Seek ye the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth.’ (Ps. 105:4-5) 

Yes friends, seeking God’s face and remembering all that He’s done in our lives is extremely important, especially in times of serious change like our world is currently experiencing. That’s because the Lord God Almighty is the One who has brought us this far, and who will determine our future by our righteousness. 

Remember the promise of God the prophet Jeremiah made to the people of Israel, when they were in captivity in Babylon? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) 

Oh my brethren, that is exactly what the Lord is saying to us today too. We desperately need to come to Him with full surrender and trust, seek Him with all our hearts, if we want our world to be improved. There are no ifs, ands, and buts about that! Only if we sincerely seek the face of the Lord God Jehovah, turn away from all the evil idols we’re currently worshipping, give up all the ungodly things of the world that are still so much a part of our lives, will we ever find the One, True, Living God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! 

Jesus also made that very clear when He commanded us: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 16:33) All of us know that foundational scripture, yet we refuse to practice it. Instead, we continue running down the things of the world like wealth and power, on our own. That’s the total opposite of what Jesus taught and what the heavenly Father expects. And please don’t think that because you are a Christian you cannot possess a lot of the earth’s wealth and power, because there are a lot of rich and powerful believers in the world, but you just have to do it according to the Lord’s will and timing. 

And it is of the utmost importance that we read, know, inwardly digest and practice these words of scripture from the first epistle of John. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interests), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) 

Ah my fellow saints, when are we going to stop paying lip service to our God and His will eh? When are we going to begin taking His edicts and promises very seriously eh, and realize that a lot of our current suffering rests on our own sinful and ungodly desires and behaviour? Until we wake up and be transformed in our minds and actions, our world will continue to go down the drain in spectacular fashion. So, having said all of that that, the first thing on our agenda of change, is prayer. So, in confident but humble voice, let’s go to the throne of God, through our Friday Chant and ask for His benevolent help. 

Altogether now: ‘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 viruses 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 viruses 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 if we sincerely want divine help, then we must keep our promises, and have right motives in our hearts. Much LOVE!

…true leaders lead by example…as Jesus did…not by deceit or force…as Satan does… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 September 2022 John 8:32.

02 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

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

John 8:32.       And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Oh friends, today as the rising of the sun begins, as that magnificent orb makes its daily journey around the world, many different voices in many different languages will loudly and harmoniously chorus: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Thank God for the weekend and all the freedom it brings!’ 

Ah Lord eh, do we ever like and fantasize about that thing called freedom. And down through the ages, so many of us have died shouting out its name, but we don’t really know the heavy price that supposed elixir of the human spirit demands. For to be truly free, one needs to be responsible, not lawless like so many of us believe. Freedom carries with it an inherent need for responsibility, loyalty, self-control, self-discipline and level headedness. It calls for mercy, LOVE, grace, forgiveness, goodness and godliness. 

It doesn’t give us the right, as so many of us believe to do exactly what we want, when we want, regardless of the consequences to those around us. It doesn’t mean chaos, selfishness and disregard for our fellow man. In fact, it demands just the opposite; a healthy and responsible care and compassion for our fellow human beings. 

And I guess that’s why all the revolutions and wars and other negative circumstances that have occurred in the name of freedom have never succeeded, because in the end, those at the forefront of those uprisings, end up doing exactly what their oppressors and suppressors were doing; oppressing and suppressing somebody in the supposed name of freedom! But yet, we still constantly hear the battle cry for freedom: freedom from this, freedom from that, freedom from responsibility, freedom from paying taxes, freedom from God and His law. 

Hn! Yet we still desire all those things that a responsible freedom bring. But in reality, freedom is only, and will always be a figment of our imagination, for as the song so truly says: we all must bow to somebody; to either God or Satan. And once you’re bowing to someone, you’re never free. Bowing to Satan will never make you free, because he is only interested in keeping his selfish claws in you, restraining you from rising to the level for which you were created, and thus making hellfire and damnation your eternal home. 

The closest we can ever get to that thing called freedom is by reverently bowing to our Maker, Our Creator and Provider, our Way-maker and Forgiver, the enabler of Eternal Life. And that can only happen when we sincerely embrace His majestic Son, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Yes, friends, only through the intervention of the Son, can one get to all the magnificent benefits and freedoms that the Father provides. Listen up as Christ enlightens us on the subject. 

First off, He sets us straight by imparting this startling, but ever so true information: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ (John 14:6) Oh my people, unless we believe that, and act seriously upon it, we will never see the bright lights of heaven and enjoy the promise of eternal life! That’s the truth, and nothing but the God-awesome truth! Only sincere belief in Christ Jesus will enable us to enter through those pearly gates we all talk and dream about so much! 

And likewise, the only source of true freedom is Christ Jesus. And why do we know this? Listen as He taught in the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth. On that momentous Sabbath day in the temple, Jesus read thus from the Book of Isaiah. ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (oppressed). To preach the acceptable year of the Lord….This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears (hearing)’ (Luke 4:18-19, 21) 

Oh my people, Jesus was letting His hometown know that He was the chosen One, the Messiah, the One sent to set the captives free, to heal their broken hearts, souls and spirits. But, as it so often happens, when someone close to us, just like us, rises up to another level, we tend to offer derogatory comments rather than gladly accept their new status. And that’s exactly what happened to Jesus in His hometown of Nazareth. 

They didn’t believe that the lowly carpenter’s son of Joseph and Mary, who grew up amongst them could ever be the Messiah. His words so annoyed them that they eventually forced him out of the city and tried to throw Him down a hill. Thankfully though, as the Good Book says: ‘But he passing through the midst of them went his way.’ (Luke 4:30) And the scholars offer this explanation on the verse. ‘It is not clear whether this is a miraculous deliverance, or whether Jesus, by dint of His imposing presence, was able to stare His opponents down and then walk away untouched.’ I like to think it was the latter, just to show the unbelieving fools that He was not scared of them. (smile)  

Now, this final word from Jesus re freedom. He said to a crowd of Jews that supposedly believed in Him. ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) And when they claimed they were never in bondage, so how could they be made free, Jesus explained to them that they were in bondage to sin. However, ‘If the Son therefore shall make you free; ye shall be free indeed.’ (John 8:36) 

And is that ever the glorious truth my brethren! Only through the work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, His shed blood, His death and resurrection, can we be truly made free. Free from sin, free from our most noted enemy, Satan and the sinful life that he espouses and tries to get us to also espouse, so that we can eventually end up like him, in the lake of fire. But thankfully, we’re wiser than that! We’re following Jesus! Glory Hallelujah! So, let’s go to Him in prayer, through our Friday Chant, asking for His divine help in our troubled world. 

As one confident 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 and monkey-pox viruses, as well as 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 viruses and the unrest in our streets. 

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

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

Now friends, if we truly expect positive divine help, then it’s up to us keep the promises we’ve just made, and show right motives in our hearts. Much LOVE!

…ONLY  through belief in Christ Jesus…can we gain whatever freedom is possible in this earthly life… 

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

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

26 Aug 2022 Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   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   12 August 2022   Matthew 7:24.

12 Aug 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 7:24.       Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock.

Awright! So we’ve finally crossed the finish line and everyone’s shouting: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And this glorious summer weekend is here at last!’ And we’d better enjoy it too, because we don’t have many more summer weekends left on the calendar. (smile) 

Now, I was just led to our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin to seek a suitable writing for today. And it didn’t take long for me to find this most appropriate gem. I don’t know if I’ve ever shared it before, and if I’ve never, then I can’t understand how I could have missed such a beautiful and inspiring piece. And if I’ve shared it before, then it’s certainly worth sharing again, (smile) especially in these unfortunate and troubled times when the very foundation, the bastion of our society, the family, is sadly falling, or been torn apart. 

It’s aptly titled ‘A Family Pledge.’ And we definitely need more stuff like this in our lives. So please read with me. ‘We will permit God to use our conflicts and mixed emotions as lessons in quiet growth. With LOVING patience, without ridicule or judgement, we will support each other in the gradual untangling of built-in defenses. We will focus on each other as persons made in the image of God. We will seek to please rather than pressure, to delight rather than to demand, to give rather than to get. 

We will share the humdrums as well as the highlights, the tears as well as the laughter, the defeats as well as the victories. We will not insist on perfection – rather we will anticipate growth. We will not compete for the mountaintop, rather we will climb the mountain together. We will wait for each other if one of us gets behind. We will lift our hearts in a celebration of gratitude for God’s amazing LOVE, which makes our family LOVE possible. We will LOVE each other as we do these things.’ 

Wow mih bredrin! What a marvellous pledge, not just for individual families but for all of society! Can you just see families practicing that stuff, coming together, and working together the way the Lord desires His people to gel and be One under His awesome majesty! Heaven would have a heyday, it would turn over, go mad with joy if something like that should ever happen! 

Okay, so I’m daydreaming a tad, because it most likely will never happen until Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom, but that’s what our faith, Christianity is all about – everlasting hope; believing in dreams and promises that though improbable, are definitely not impossible with our omnipotent God! And until, and unless, we bring some semblance of that pledge to pass in our families, they, along with our society will continue to fall apart, to sink deeper into the evil and ungodly mire that our world has become. 

Oh my fellow believers, we’re not only in a foolish situation with all the current infighting amongst families, but a very dangerous one. For if we continue on this unwise path, the darkness will befall us even in the midst of the noonday sun, while brother continues fighting brother, father against son, and mother against daughter. Now, that Family Pledge, we just read, could be a marvellous and vital beginning to a resuscitation of our family values, and could eventually bring a semblance of peace amongst the many warring families that currently exist. 

And it’s interesting to note that the Bible Promise allocated to that pledge is Jesus’ opening statement on the ‘The two foundations,’ in the Sermon on the Mount. ‘Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a (the) rock.’ (Matt. 7:24) 

Oh friends, that’s indeed what we need to build our lives and thus our families on, on the rock! On the rock that’s Jesus, where no rain, flood or earthquake or any negative thing can destroy it! Yes, living for each other, having each other’s backs, looking out for each other, and helping each other as we travel this rough and rocky road of life, is the ONLY way to make it at least palatable, if not pleasurable. It’s the only way we’ll ever enjoy the abundant life that Christ sacrificed His holy and sinless life for us to have. 

And I simply can’t understand why we keep on fighting each other, when it benefits us nothing whatsoever! It just keeps us sinking ever further into the mire, the quicksand that the devil has prepared for us, and thus elicits a big smile on his satanic majesty’s ugly face! Oh my fellow saints, is that the kind of life we truly desire to live, when Jesus has provided a much better one? I very much doubt it! But if we are to escape Satan’s evil clutches, we must rise up and accept the teachings of Jesus. Build on the solid, rock-like foundation He has established, not on the shifting sand that Satan desires us to build on. 

That means, it’s of the utmost importance that we not only hear Jesus’ words, but even more importantly, put them into action in our lives, for words are useless until they are actioned! And it all begins with prayer; reaching out to our wonderful God in sincerity and faith, knowing that He’s a keeper of His promises, if we live the way He desires. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

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

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

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

Now, we’ve got to give the Lord good reason to positively answer our prayer, by cleansing our hearts and hands and keeping our promises. Much LOVE!

…he who builds his life on Jesus…will stand strong forever…but he who builds on Beelzebub…will eventually perish with him… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 August 2022   Ephesians 5:15.

05 Aug 2022 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 5:15.       ​ See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise.

Well friends, the big sighs of relief went up this morning, as everybody declared: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ You’d believe that we worked so hard this week, when many of us only worked four days. That’s not counting those who booked off sick sometime therein. (smile) 

And would you believe the same thing that happened on Wednesday evening happened yesterday afternoon. The skies got dark, as though they were preparing for a huge deluge, with plenty thunder rolls. But yuh know what? Eventually we still only got a small sprinkling of heavenly blessings. 

Chuh! The thunder rolls were more than the rain. When yuh hear the rain didn’t even wet my porch, that’s to tell you how poor the shower was. Sorry, can’t even call it a real shower, for real showers splatter all over my porch, and soon thereafter the place was dry like chip again. So, Mother Nature is still crying out for thirst. 

Don’t know what is the problem between rain and my neighbourhood nuh. Can it be that we’re so ungodly that the Lord is withholding His blessings? Who knows? Anything is possible. But today, I want us to concentrate on some verses of scripture from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Ephesians that are ever so important in these dangerous and disastrous times. 

The first one says: ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise.’ (Eph. 5:15) Yes friends, it’s of the utmost importance that believers walk very circumspectly if we are to set a good example for the unbelievers, for it’s so easy to fall into the deceitful and lying traps of the always prowling enemy. 

Then Bruh Paul writes: ‘Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.’ (Eph. 5:16) Wow! That shouldn’t be news to us, because we are seeing and experiencing very evil times and actions! That’s why we need to take every opportunity to redeem, reveal or expose the sins of the lost, being a faithful witness to them in these seriously evil days. 

And Bruh Paul continues: ‘Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.’ (Eph. 5:17) And believe me, my people, do we ever need to be wise and understand what’s the Lord’s will since the world is so overrun with evil. It’s like Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome. ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) 

And the only way we can know the true will of God is by meditating on His Word, talking to Him in prayer and associating with other believers. Then, as is his wont, Bruh Paul gives a few practical and physical examples of what he’s talking about. ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit.’ (Eph. 5:18) 

Yes my fellow saints, ‘drunkenness leads to moral intemperance, which is clearly contrary to God’s will. His will is that Christians be filled with (by) the Spirit; that is, they are to allow Him to fill them with God’s own life, character and virtues. The analogy between these two moral states is this: a person filled with wine is under its influence; similarly, a Christian is filled with the Spirit when he controls his thoughts, attitudes and actions.’  

This brings us to a rather interesting subject -The Fullness of the Holy Spirit. What’s it all about eh? The scholars explain it thus: ‘The words be filled here mean “be continually filled,” emphasizing that the fullness of the Spirit is a repeated experience for believers. When a person is drunk with an alcoholic beverage, his walk, talk, and sight are controlled by alcohol. 

God desires that the minds of Christians be controlled by the Holy Spirit so that they will walk in the Spirit, speak on behalf of God, and understand the things of God. Because people are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at salvation, they do not need to get more of the Holy Spirit, but the filling of the Spirit occurs when the Holy Spirit gets more of the believer. 

Illustration: As we establish our fellowship with God through confession of sins (1 John 1:9) and yield to Him (Rom. 6:13), we can be filled with the Spirit if that is our desire (Matt. 5:6) and prayer Luke 11:13). (Please take a moment and check out those scripture references) Application: Every Christian should be filled with the Spirit in order that he may have God’s power to serve Him (Acts 1:8).’ Now, hopefully that gives us a better understanding of what it means to be filled with Spirit. (smile) 

And we move on to some more practical examples of Bruh Paul’s will of the Lord. He advises: ‘Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord: Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph. 5:19-21) 

Oh my brethren, that kind of stuff is so essential to helping us lead the true Christian life: songs and melodies that lift up our spirits, encouraging words and deference from and to each other, giving thanks to God, being grateful for all that He’s done, doing and promises to do for us. Those are just a few things that keep us on the straight and narrow path. And then there’s sincere prayer. So let’s get to that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. 

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. 

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

Now, if we are to receive positive answers to our prayer, then we need to clean up our act and give the Lord some incentive to act on our behalf. Much LOVE!

…in these very sinful and ungodly times…the Holy Spirit ought to play a greater part in the believer’s life… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 July 2022   1 Corinthains 13:11.

29 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 13:11.      When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

Well, it’s here at last…so let’s shout it out nuh: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the long Caribana weekend has begun!’ And this evening I’m going to attend the only function on the calendar that I do nowadays, that’s the Steelband competition. Yes friends, that’s what it’s finally come down to. (smile) As they so truthfully say, after one time is two. But the fact of the matter is that the ole fella can no longer handle the long walking and the pushing and shoving of the young people. 

In my time, we knew how to party, but these days that wisdom seems to have gone by the bye. And the costumes and music are not as nice as before. Like life, and so many other things nowadays, the standards have fallen and it all seems watered down now… at least in my opinion. (smile) So, since I can’t handle it physically and emotionally, I just keep myself to myself, and only check out the pan competition which is always a blast; you see people you haven’t seen in ages, plus you make new friends, and don’t forget the numerous arguments and controversies, especially over the judges’ decisions at the end. 

If you’ve ever been to a Steelband competition, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. (smile) And strangely enough, I find that one occasion satisfies my Caribana weekend. Once upon a time, if I didn’t get down to the Saturday parade early, I’d be rather unmannerly to those who kept me back. My family could certainly tell you about that. (smile) But thankfully, along with age comes that very important thing called reason. That reminds me of the scripture in 1 Corinthians that says it so wisely. ‘When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.’ (1 Cor. 13:11) 

Ah friends, that’s exactly what a lot of us need to do in these uncertain, disastrous and turbulent times; give up our childish behaviour and act like the adults we’re supposed to be. We certainly don’t need all the resentment, strife, evil-doing, back-biting and scandalous behaviour that has become so much a part of our current society. And those ungodly actions are not only running rampant in the outside world but unfortunately also in the church of Christ! Obviously, that’s not welcome behaviour in the body of Christ, but who’s going to change it eh? 

Only we, the supposed believers in and followers of Christ can do that. The problem though, is do we really want to change our unchristian ways? Some of us do, but others don’t. So what’s going to happen eh? Christ’s church obviously cannot be allowed to continue being as sinful and ungodly as the world. And the sad part is that a lot of this behaviour comes from the leaders not from the basic congregations. In fact, some leaders consciously promote that behaviour. It’s obvious that they are not obeying the words of Bruh Paul to Timothy: 

‘This is a true saying, If a man desire (aspires to) the office of a bishop (overseer), he desireth a good work (a noble task). A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant (temperate), sober (sober-minded), of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to (able to) teach. Not given to (addicted to) wine, no striker (not violent), not greedy of filthy lucre (for money); but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity (reverence); For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? (1 Tim. 3:1-5) 

Now that’s a very good question? If a man cannot run his own house in a godly manner, how then can he run Christ’s church properly eh? And the scholars tell us this about the Pastoral Office. ‘The pastor, who shepherds’ today’s church, also fulfills the New Testament role of elder and bishop (overseer), and is responsible to God for the spiritual welfare of the church (Acts 20:28). When Christ returns, He will judge and reward these pastors (elders) according to their faithfulness in leading the church to accomplish God’s will (1 Pet. 5:4).’ And I do hope that some of those leading Christ’s flock today would read that and understand it and change from their evil ways. 

But let’s look at some deeper explanations of the duties Bruh Paul associated with a godly leader. ‘Blameless means irreproachable, that is, impeccable in reputation. The husband of one wife, faithful to his wife. Vigilant means temperate. This speaks of spiritual sobriety; not intoxicated or controlled by fleshly passions and sensual appetites. To be sober is to be of sound mind; that is, not of frivolous disposition, but serious and possessing good judgement. Of good behaviour means orderly in life, habits, and work. One who is given to hospitality receives strangers warmly and treats guests generously. 

To be apt to teach is to be skillful in teaching Scripture. Not given to wine means not addicted to wine. No striker means not physically violent. Not greedy means not fond of dishonest gain. Patient means not quarrelsome, peaceable; that is does not argue over minor matters or always seeks to have his own way, but defers to the wishes of others when no cardinal doctrine or policy is sacrificed. Not covetous, literally, “not a lover of money.” His main priority is not the acquisition of money. Materialism ill befits one called above to care for the spiritual welfare of souls.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth! However, unfortunately many of our current leaders do display too many of the ungodly traits described above. Now, it must be stated that a lot is expected of them, and since they are mere men like us, they do have human drawbacks and frailties, and will have occasional lapses in godly behaviour, but the unfortunate truth is that too many of our leaders have poor leadership qualities and are thus leading Christ’s church astray, that’s why it’s in such bad shape today. 

But we cannot put all the blame and responsibility on our leaders, we the congregation also need to take some of it, for both allowing the leaders to do some of the ungodly stuff they do, and also for following them when we full well know that their actions are wrong and totally ungodly. And the only way for the church to get cleaned up is by both congregation and leaders deciding to clean it up. That’s seriously looking at themselves and doing the things they know that ought to be done. This will have to be an internal cleansing, coming to terms with our misdeeds and deciding to change our ways, with God’s help obviously. 

And there’s no better time to start than right now. So, let’s go to God in prayer, through our Friday Chant, laying our cards sincerely before Him. 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 now that we’ve pleaded for divine help and made promises, let’s go out and keep those promises, otherwise we won’t receive that divine help. It’s as simple as that. Much LOVE!

…promises are not made to be broken…but to be kept with a sincere and honourable heart… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   15 July 2022 Matthew 28:20b.

15 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 28:20b.     … and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.

So, another week has rolled by, pretty quickly too, and once more we hear that raucous shout: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ We’re so thankful that it’s Friday, even though we might not have done a lick of work for the week. (smile) But that’s just how we are these days; ruled by entitlement, a lack of work ethic, lack of brotherly LOVE, but ever so filled with greed, selfishness, and ungodliness. 

For many of us, God doesn’t even exist…and even if He does, it’s like some ghost-like figure somewhere far, far out in the universe, and He doesn’t have any real connection to man. Now there’s nothing that’s further from the truth than that, for God is with man, dwelling within those who revere Him and desire Him in their lives. And why would He not want to have anything to do with us eh, when He purposely created us in His own image, to have beautiful communion and fellowship with Him? 

And when we’d fallen so badly into sin, God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die on our behalf, to take all of those sins on His own conscience and pay our sin debt in full by shedding His sinless blood on the cross at Calvary, giving us His righteousness for our sinfulness, making us righteous, justified and reconciled with the Father. Now if God didn’t want a relationship with us, why do all those things eh? 

The truth of the matter is that we have forgotten God, tossed Him aside, gotten too big for our britches, foolishly believing that we no longer need Him since our society has evolved so much, become so enlightened, so modern and prosperous. To make matters even worse, the enemy has also goaded us into falsely believing that the improvements in our society happened through our own strength and not through God’s grace and mercy. 

That leads me to wonder why some of us with all our money, power and the great medicinal achievements of our current world, still fall sick and die of simple diseases? Why we even die at all? It means that we are not in full control of our lives. Never were, and never will be! That there is indeed a greater power than us, One we call God, who created us and still controls all our goings and comings, and who still desires a warm and friendly relationship with us, because He doesn’t even want to lose one of His most precious creations to the enemy. 

God is right there, just waiting for us to acknowledge Him and ask for His awesome help in ALL our doings. Why do you think the Lord made the promise as far back as the Israelites release from bondage in Egypt, to never leave nor forsake us. (Deut. 31:6, 8) Why did He tell Joshua in no uncertain terms when He made him the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’(Josh. 1:5) 

Jesus also promised the disciples and all those who followed and believed in Him: ‘… and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) The author of Hebrews also resurrects God’s old but not extinct promise of never leaving nor forsaking us. (Heb. 13:5) And if God wasn’t interested in us, why would he make this awesome statement though the prophet Jeremiah eh? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you and expected end (a future and a hope.’ (Jer. 29:11) 

Now please tell me, if we were living in harmony with God and with each other do you think there would be as much calamity, disaster and evil doings as there currently is in our world? Surely not! But because we are out of sync, living in disharmony with God and our fellow man, our world is in a terrible mess. Just look around…every day there are more disasters, both natural and manmade;  fires, floods, famines, more evil dictators and power-hungry politicians, claiming to work for the people, but in truth only filling their own pockets while the people suffer. 

Why is there still so much poverty and sickness in a world that’s never been as prosperous and enlightened? Because too few have too much and too many have too little, and the few are too greedy, selfish and godless to share with the many. That’s it in a nutshell folks. There’s enough wealth and prosperity in our world for most of us to live comfortably, if that wealth and prosperity were shared just a tad more equitably. Sermon done! (smile) 

But please, let’s never forget that turning back to God is an option, in fact our best option, and in doing so, we will always have the power of prayer to call on Him for His divine help. And there’s no better time for that than right now. So, through our Friday Chant, let’s confidently, but humbly, approach the throne of grace. 

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 now, if we desire a positive answer from heaven, it behooves us to keep those promises, turn our lives around and live like God desires. Much LOVE!

…mankind might be God’s greatest creation…but he’s still only a created being…with all the inadequacies that that state entails…let’s not forget it… 

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

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