Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 August 2021 Job 12:13.

06 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

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

Job 12:13.      With him (God) is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

Come on friends, it’s the big day of Friday, the start of this glorious summer weekend! So what’s your plans for it eh? Fun and frolic, wine and song, or just taking it easy and lying in the sun, enjoying its warming rays? Well, a li’l bit of those are all good, but what about some time with our heavenly Father eh? No plans to get together with Him for even a li’l tete a tete? That’s not wise now, for He is the source of all you are, all you have and all you will ever be. 

So please, let’s be wise and make some time to spend with our wonderful God over the next few days nuh, in private prayer, as well as corporate worship. For that’s what truly makes us come alive, enlivens our spirits, strengthens our faith and keeps us going in the right direction. 

Yes friends, without some face time with our God, we become listless and lost, unsure of how to proceed in this rather complicated and unpredictable process we call life, especially when the enemy is getting more active and daring every day, because he thinks he is winning the fight. But we need to show him that he’s oh so wrong. And we can only do that with the grace of our great God flowing from our souls and spirits. And we can only get that ever-powerful grace of God when we sincerely bond and engage with Him. 

For as Job so rightly said when attacked by his supposed friends: ‘With him (God) is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.’ (Job 12:13) Oh my brethren, truer words were never spoken! And did Job ever learn a thing or two about God during his innocent ‘sufferation.’ Earlier on he remarked: ‘He (God) is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?’ (Job 9:4) And the obvious answer to that question is ‘NOBODY!’ 

Even the mightiest of His creations, the archangel Lucifer, foolishly tried to overthrow Him but was unsuccessful and ingloriously kicked out from the power and glory he enjoyed in heaven. So, it’s ever so foolish for us lesser mortals to think that we could best God in any respect whatsoever. But we do try, when, like Lucifer, the pride of our looks and doings overwhelm our puny minds. 

It never ceases to amaze me that the created, could ever think that they are more powerful and can thus overthrow or bring down their Creator. It just doesn’t compute friends. The created is like putty in the hands of the Creator, made into whatever image the Creator desires, and the Creator is no fool to imbue the created with so much might and power that the latter could overthrow Him. 

That means all our efforts to rid our society of God is just pure foolishness. And the only thing that’s stopping God from getting rid of us completely is His awesome, though not understandable, unconditional LOVE for us! Remember, He once erased the whole world through a flood when He got tired of humanity’s sin and disobedience. Unfortunately, that new start didn’t work too well either, for we were soon back to our old sinful and disobedient ways. 

And though God promised never to use a flood again, there’s nothing that says He can’t use other means, like fire and brimstone, or sickness and other natural disasters. And who knows what’s really happening in our world right now eh? Look at the serious strife, sickness, fires and upheaval that’s taking place all over the globe! How do we know that’s not the hand of God trying to wake us up, to tell us something eh? We don’t, and apparently many of us don’t care. 

But for the comparative few of us who do care and are concerned about all the ‘sufferation’ in our current world, please, let’s make it our number one desire to spend time with our Maker, our God, our Provider, our Comforter. For it’s only through sincere interaction with Him that our problems will ever be solved, or even lessened. And there’s no better time than right now, to go to Him in prayer, asking for His help to bring back some sense of sanity to our world, for it surely seems to have suddenly gone mad. 

So as one sincere voice, let’s offer up 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 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 friends, let’s remember our promise to be faithful believers, for if we aren’t, our prayers will not be answered. That means, it now depends solely on our behaviour; it’s our choice, to be righteous, or unrighteous! Much LOVE!

…to God…the giver of life…be all the glory…for ever and ever…                                                                                                              

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 November 2018 Psalm 109:4.

19 Nov 2018 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 109:4.   For (in return for) my LOVE they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.

So once again it is Monday friends; that day that so many of us dread without just cause. (smile) And no doubt, in these northern climes it’s also going to be another dreary and gloomy looking day, like the last few have been…Steups!  No wonder an air of sadness permeates our society in the winter months, something which we’ve finally recognized to be a serious problem and now term ‘SAD -Seasonal Affective Disorder,’ or something to that effect. (smile) 

And it happens a lot when the human animal is not getting sufficient light in their diet. And for sure we haven’t gotten enough in ours in the last little while! But the worse day for it to happen is on a Monday, when we’re already jaded and miserable over having to get up and go out to work after a weekend of fun and frolic. 

But fear not my people, for we might not have the physical sun at our disposal today, but we have a bigger, better and even brighter light than that dwelling within us; that’s our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus…the LIGHT OF THE WORLD! His Holy Spirit is there to shed inner light on the darkness of our souls, which we are supposed to let shine on the outside to the rest of the world. For remember, we are the salt and light of the earth in Jesus’ eyes. 

So what if we shaking it a tad rough this Monday morning eh? Please don’t let it get us down, instead, let’s join together in prayer, the most powerful tool in God’s creation, and allow it to lift our spirits, let them soar right up to the dark, dreary clouds above. (smile) So altogether now, with confidence, for remember we have to approach the throne of grace boldly but humbly. 

‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. 

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. 

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. 

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ 

Yuh see friends, yuh see the awesome power of prayer? Yuh realize now that your mood has suddenly lifted and you are now rearing to get out into the evil world and give it all you’ve got for Jesus! Mama Yo! That’s why as believers we need to pray, we’ve been instructed do so, and to do it continually, without ceasing. (1 Thess.5:17) 

And that’s why Bruh David wisely declared in our Bit: ‘For (in return for) my LOVE they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.’ He realized that on his own, he had no sway, or hold over those who came against him, but through prayer, with His omnipotent God by his side, he could be a mighty conqueror. And the same thing applies to us my brethren, if we would only give prayer a chance. 

 Now let’s look at some instances in the Good Book where prayer was greatly utilized. But first, hear these immortal words of Jesus on the subject to the disciples. ‘And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’ (Matt.21:22) However, please note the most important word in that sentence is ‘believing.’ You have to believe; otherwise it’s a waste of time! 

Now hear Cousin Sol from Proverbs. ‘The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.’ (Prov.15:8) Yeh friends, our wonderful God takes great pleasure in hearing from those who believe in Him. So much so that James could confidently say: ‘Confess your faults (trespasses) one to another, that ye may be healed. The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much.’ (James 5:6) 

Then He goes on to give the example of how Elijah, a man just like us, prayed earnestly that it shouldn’t rain and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. Then he prayed for rain…and wonder of wonders…rain came tumbling down! (smile) 

And I like this particular occasion when prayer worked its wonders. That’s after Herod kills James and locks up Peter, intending to bring him out after the Passover and make a public spectacle of him. The Good Book says though: ‘Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.’ (Acts 12:6) And that same night the angel of the Lord came and escorted him out of the prison without a soul being the wiser. 

However, we also see here the problem of believing. For when Peter caught himself and realized what had happened, he made his way to the house of John Mark where people were praying for him. But when he knocked on the door and a lady who recognised his voice went and told the others that he was indeed free and outside, they foolishly claimed: ‘It is his angel.’ (Acts 12:15) So what’s the use of praying if you don’t believe that God can, and will answer your prayers eh? None whatsoever! 

So friends, let’s ‘wisen’ up nuh, believe what our faith says, and above all, trust in the Lord God Almighty who LOVES us more than we can ever imagine, and who, while we were yet sinners, sent His One Son, Jesus Christ to die for us! Much LOVE!

…with LOVE and PRAYER in his arsenal…the believing Christian…can conquer the world…

P.S. And bringing it even closer to home. Yuh think I could write such wonderful Bits over such a long period of time without sincere prayer and belief? Not on yuh life! (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 September 2017 Psalm 18:20.

05 Sep 2017 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 18:20.   The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

Well friends, it’s the Tuesday after Labour Day, which means that all the fun and frolic of summer is drawing to an end. As the D.J plays that famous last tune: ‘The party’s over my friends. It’s time to call it a day…’ Yeh mih breddren it’s back to school and work time now. 

And to add fuel to that fire, here’s a li’l blurb from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) on the subject. He says: ‘Possibility Thinking isn’t just dreaming. It’s faith in action.  That translates into W-O-R-K with a patient commitment to excellence.’ 

And that is exactly what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ expects of His followers; a serious commitment to excellent work! And in these end times, we all need to step up our work in and for the kingdom of Christ. 

He’s losing more followers than He’s gaining, and that’s due in large part to our lack of commitment, our compromises, generally taking the easy way out and preferring to enjoy the easy life of the world, rather than go the extra mile for Christ. 

Why? Because that might include some ‘sufferation,’ some adversity on our part, and we’ve gotten so soft and afraid of adversity nowadays, that we’d rather allow Christ’s work to suffer, than we break a nail trying to further His kingdom. 

And when the unbeliever looks at our hypocritical lifestyles, what can we expect but criticism and disbelief eh? Too many of us are not living true Christian lives; we’re like the Pharisees of old, who preached one thing in public and did something completely different in private. That’s why Jesus continually lambasted them. 

And if we seriously believe in Jesus and sincerely want to do His work and try our best to become like Him, then we’ve got to clean up our act, and begin walking our talk. Oh, many of us are doing it, but definitely not enough to make any worthwhile difference. 

There are too many divisions in Christ’s body, too many cliques and too much dissension for it to function at a consistently high level, and until we stop fighting amongst ourselves, Christ’s church will not grow the way it is supposed to. 

That brings us to our Bit. ‘The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.’ And that’s exactly what happens in God’s kingdom; we’re rewarded for our faithfulness and obedience to His Word. 

And Bruh David continues in his thanksgiving for deliverance from his enemies, after our Bit: ‘For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgements were before me, and I did not put his statutes from me. 

I was also upright before (with) him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.’ (Ps.18:21-24) 

How much plainer can it be eh friends? We do right and the Lord rewards us. We do wrong, and He doesn’t. Oh my brethren, Christianity is not rocket science. It’s simply believing in God and doing our best to be obedient to Him and His word. 

God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He knows we will make mistakes, because we’re frail and foolish, (smile) that’s how He made us. But He does expect us to try our best. And that is simply what too many of us supposed believers are not doing. 

Now listen to Job’s friend, Elihu, as he reasons with Job about God’s forgiveness when men repent. ‘His flesh shall be fresher than (young as) a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth: He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him (delight in him): and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render (restore) unto man his righteousness. 

He (God) looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver (redeem) his soul from going into the pit (hell), and his life shall see the light. Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.’ (Job 33:25-30) 

Yes friends, our God is a most merciful and forgiving God, but we have to be honest and up front with Him. Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, which clearly states who and whose we are. 

‘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!’ 

So let’s go out and share that LOVE nuh, for that’s what Jesus desires. Much LOVE!

…Jesus calls us to action…much more than to talk…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 October 2015 Hebrews 11:1‏‏

16 Oct 2015 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 11:1.   Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.

Ah mih people, it’s Friday, and the ole fella is feeling fairly wide eyed and bushy tailed because he got a half decent night’s rest. But that means I’m up somewhat late in the morning, and though it’s nice to get up early, it’s always better to get up when the sun is shining rather than when darkness still covers the land. (smile) 

And for you early risers, when darkness still permeates the land, I just want to reassure you that though you may not see the sun, the Son is ALWAYS present by your side, with the Holy Spirit assisting you to make good decisions and showing you the right paths to tread. 

And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful ‘Glory Hallelujah! All thanks and praise to the Lamb that was slain for us!’ 

And since most of you have been up before me, most likely you have already expressed your worldly Friday declaration of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, meaning that the weekend is here and the party is getting underway! Thank God for small mercies like Friday and the weekend!’ 

Now I would like to change that somewhat and give us a better perspective on the whole situation. So let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, with much conviction and enthusiasm. 

All together 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.’ 

Now that’s more like what we should be saying my people, because the weekend isn’t just for fun and frolic, but also for some serious time with oneself and with one’s Creator. 

And we’ll continue with our Bit, those famous words of the author of Hebrews, whom I still can’t help believing is Bruh Paul, because it sounds so much like him. ‘Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ 

Positive words of wisdom my people!  And we all agree that if we can see something, then there’s no need to hope for it. But if we can’t, then there’s every reason to hope for it and wait patiently and eagerly until it shows up. 

And as true believers in Jesus Christ, that’s the kind of faith we need to have Friends; a constant hope that He will come through for us. For you know we can’t have faith without hope. Hope is the starting point of it all, and as it grows, it turns into that strong feeling of assurance, of conviction, that we call faith. 

Now here are some potent insights into the subject as related by Bruh Paul to his protégé Timothy. It concerns fighting the good fight of faith. 

‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things (love for money, etc. vs.1-10): and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, LOVE, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called, and hast professed (confessed) a good profession (confession) before many witnesses.’ (1 Tim.6:11-12) 

Yes Friends, since we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, then it behooves us to turn away from the lustful and ungodly things of the world and follow the dictates of His Way, which are the things spoken of by Bruh Paul above. 

And the scholars offer these insightful explanations. ‘6:11. Flee these things means shun a love for money (v.10) and the striving for material wealth (v.9) with all its resulting woes. Follow after means pursue. Righteousness is practical correctness, conforming to God’s will in one’s thinking and acting. 

Godliness is proper reverence for, and obedience to God. Faith is a trust in God that grows stronger. LOVE is a maturing affection for God and man. Patience is perseverance or steadfastness in life and service. Meekness is gentleness.  

Now as per ‘6:12. The good fight concerns the daily struggle with sin in the Christian life, and the hardships and adversities in the ministry. A genuine believer demonstrates the reality of his faith by being engaged in this warfare. 

Lay hold on eternal life does not negate that fact that a believer now possesses spiritual life (John 3:36); rather, it speaks of fully realizing or appropriating salvation as the believer matures.’ 

Yes my brethren, it’s all a growing process! So we can begin with small or little faith, but as we progress in our Christian endeavours, our faith ought to grow along the continuum that represents it, until we come to a point of maturity. 

However, we never reach that stage here on earth where our faith reaches the end of the continuum and stops growing, because faith is an action word that‘s supposed to be always on the go, keeping us fresh and renewed in the Christian spirit. If our faith ever stops growing, then something’s wrong, and we need to get it checked out by the appropriate authorities; i.e. God! 

So until tomorrow Friends, the Lord willing, please let’s try and walk the straight and narrow path today nuh. ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised. And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works.’ (Heb.10:23-24) That is exactly what we are called to do my brethren!. Much LOVE!

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

P.S. Sorry Friends, but in between the writing, I had to take an important phone call which lasted for about 20 minutes. So you can subtract twenty minutes from the lateness, because that was not my fault. (smile) Much LOVE!