Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 April 2024 Psalm 119:68

05 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 119:68.        Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

And then it was Friday, with all the shouts of ‘Thank God it’s Friday!’ Yes friends, we’re all glad to see the weekend, so we can rest from our hard week’s work. Hn! Or rather rest from our excessive Easter celebrations. (smile) But Easter is nothing to laugh about, because it’s when we were guaranteed resurrection from the dead and eternal life if we believe in Jesus Christ. So don’t overdo the celebrations, but don’t make light of the situation either. 

Now, my sincere apologies for the Bit being so late today, but I had an early appointment in Toronto for my cataract surgery one week check up. And the highways were fairly decent, both ways, but it’s the streets in the city itself that are bustling with a mix of traffic and construction, causing lanes to be closed and traffic backed up. But as they say, you have to do what you have to do, and my trip was successful, both in terms of the report on my eye and getting back home safely. Give the Lord thanks for His goodness to the children of men! 

And today we’re going to look at a rather interesting poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promise with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, titled ‘Spiritual Tug-of-War.’ It’s something that all of us have experienced at some time or other in our Christian lives. So please read with me: ‘Lord. I’ve waited long enough No longer can I withstand This spiritual tug-of-war between us. Today I will do what You asked me to do. I still don’t want to, Lord – Surely You know that. I’m frightened and ill-at-ease. I feel foolish and uncomfortable. I almost feel put-upon. What You’ve asked of me slaps at my pride. Nevertheless, I choose to obey You Simply because I LOVE You. Do You understand, dear Lord? I wouldn’t do this For anyone in the world – but You.’ 

Ah friends, many are the times when we engage in a tug-of-war with the Lord, because He asks us to do something that we feel is inappropriate, too low brow for our high esteem of ourselves, and it just dusts up our pride. And yuh know what? Ofttimes the Lord asks us to do certain things just for that reason; to kill our foolish pride. For if there’s one thing He totally dislikes is human pride, because that makes us believe and behave like we don’t need Him. Furthermore, do you think that Jesus really wanted to go to the cross and sacrifice Himself for a bunch of ungrateful sinners? Of course not! But He did it because the Father asked it of Him, and He LOVED the Father that much to give up His sinless life so that our sins could be forgiven and our souls washed clean. 

And what does our Christian faith teach us? That we ought to behave like Jesus: use His life as an example for our own. Remember what Jesus told the disciples at the Last Supper, after He had washed their feet. ‘For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord (master); neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’ (John 13:15-17) 

Oh my fellow believers that’s one of the many truths Jesus passed on to us during His earthly sojourn. And it’s a big one too, especially after He had just finished doing a servant’s job; one of the lowliest and nastiest jobs in those times, washing someone’s dirty feet. And believe me, feet could get very dirty in those days as they wore sandals without socks on the dusty dirt streets of the land. This scripture from Hebrews also warns us: ‘Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb. 12:2) 

Likewise friends, we ought to put aside our worldly shame and foolish pride and do what the Lord asks of us, because of the joy that emanates from doing His will, and the wonderful rewards we will eventually get if we obey without much complaining. And here’s one other reminder. The growth in our Christian maturity and faith will cease until we have done His will. Neither is God very likely to change His mind on whatever He’s asked of us. So yes, sometimes stuff God asks of us is difficult; we feel incompetent, or it’s shameful and pride killing, but don’t forget the Lord never asks us to do something without a very good reason – in His eyes (smile) and always gives us the wherewithal to do it. 

So let’s try to be more obedient to God’s will nuh, and sincerely reduce our tug-of-war bouts because we truly LOVE Him, and anyway, all that He asks is really for our benefit. And I got so carried away that I forgot to mention the Bible Promise for our poem. It comes from Psalm 119, and says in the King James Version: ‘Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statute’ (Ps. 119:68) Meanwhile the NIV (New International Version) says: ‘You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.’ 

And my fellow saints, whichever version you choose, it’s still the indisputable truth. Therefore, if we truly LOVE the Lord, then we desperately need to improve our maturity level, using Christ as our shining example. Now let’s go to the throne of grace seeking divine aid for all that ails our turbulent world. 

Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough … because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. 

We also fervently pray Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And let’s not forget that divine help will only be forthcoming when we begin being better examples of Christianity than we currently are! Much LOVE!

…LOVE means selflessness and sacrifice…like Jesus…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 June 2014 Acts 4:19

13 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

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

Acts 4:19.      But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

And then it was Friday…Friday the 13th to boot!

‘So what,’ shouted the people? ‘Who believes in those old-wives tales any way? We’ll still sing TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! And thank God the weekend is finally here! No evil forces can stop that. For it’s the Lord’s will and desire! So shout it out loud and proud: TGIF! Thank God is Friday, and the weekend’s here!’

Yeh Friends, sure believers in Jesus don’t worry about the evil forces who are supposed to be in the ascendance on a Friday the 13th. Simply because none of those evil forces can stop God’s time. Jesus has already defeated them all, so they are only ‘flimming and flamming’ now, without any real power at all, just working on our natural fears and anxieties.

So let’s chant our Friday Chant with much energy and enthusiasm, that some will rub off on all of those who hear us. As one harmonious voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through.

Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’

Good chanting Friends, good chanting! Now let’s go and put it into practice. (smile)

And we’ll continue studying the stuff that the mighty moving of the Holy Spirit wrought at that memorable Pentecost, some two thousand years ago.

Yesterday we saw the apostles, Peter and John, stand up strong and brave to the Jewish leaders, with Peter boldly declaring that the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ was the source of their power. And that Jesus was the only one by whom salvation could be obtained.

Now the Jewish leaders were obviously unhappy with the situation, but what could they do? They had a group of uneducated, lower class men speaking bravely and powerfully to them, and a lame man who had been healed through their instigation, in the sight of countless people.

Those were facts they could not deny. But how were they to handle the delicate situation, without losing face and power; that was their quandary.

So they put Peter and John outside and ‘conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle (a remarkable sign) had been done by them is manifest (known) to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly (severely) threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.’ (Acts 4:16-17)

Oh Friends, how the forces of evil are troubled and affrighted by the name of Jesus! So much so, that they try and stop us from speaking His Holy Name. Hn! But they do try in vain!

As the scholars so wisely and rightly declare: ‘4:12. The name of Jesus Christ is the centre of contention (v. 7, 10, 12) and ever will be. Salvation for Jew and Gentile alike is exclusively through the name of Jesus Christ (cf. John 14:6).’ 

Oh yes my fellow believers, you can bring up any other name in the world, in any kind of company, and none will cause as much contention as Jesus’!

Why my people? Because of the inherent power vested in that most remarkable name! It just touches a hidden nerve in our beings; a chord programmed thus by our Creator, at our creation. Else why would a single name cause so much contention, consternation and dissension eh?

Anyway, having made their decision, the Jewish leaders called the apostles back into the room. ‘And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ (Acts 4:18-20)

Oh mih breddren, what a way Peter has developed into this brave and courageous believer! So that he can now look the Jewish elders in the eye and tell them to get lost. Oh the power of Christ’s Holy Spirit! For it was simply Holy Ghost power that Peter was operating on.

‘So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how (for which) they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed (had been performed).’ (Acts 4:21-22)

Oh Friends, I just LOVE it! I just LOVE the way our wonderful God moves in His most mysterious ways, His works to perform! The problem though is whether we are allowing His Holy Spirit to put such courage and confidence in our everyday lives? That is the trillion dollar question my people!

And it’s obvious that as a church, as a body of worshippers in the name of Jesus Christ, we are falling far short of expectations, otherwise our world would not be in such an awful mess, lacking LOVE and kindness, but full of hate and resentment. 

Oh my brethren, it’s time for us to conquer our fears, anxieties, or whatever is keeping us from doing a good job in Jesus’ name. It’s full time we allow His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in all truth and righteousness, so that we can joyfully and fearlessly proclaim His name to all the world, as He desires.

We’ve seen how the Holy Spirit moved in the early believers, and it’s still working the same way today. It’s just that we aren’t making the most of it, although we have more information, freedom and opportunity to do so.

Ah Friends, let’s wake up and smell the sweet perfume of those lovely roses nuh. Let’s see the evil and hateful world for exactly what it is – a stinking cesspool – and come to the great realization that without our best efforts, our world will only become more evil and hateful.

Is that the legacy we want to bequeath to our descendants? I greatly doubt it. So let’s hitch up our breeches, pull up our socks and allow the Spirit of Jesus to work in us as it should nuh… for our children’s sake. That’s wisdom to the nth power! Much LOVE!

…a believer who doesn’t embrace the leading and guiding power of Christ’s Spirit…is no true believer at all…