Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 November 2018 Matthew 5:16.

20 Nov 2018 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:16.   ​Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
 
Awright mih friends and Scrip-Bit family, it’s a brand new day in the life, so please give the Lord some thanks for allowing us to open our eyes to it and enabling us to do His work down here on earth! 

And some of you must be wondering how come the Bit’s so early? Well it’s a simple answer. I went to bed early last night, slept through most of the night, then my back wouldn’t allow me to lie down any longer. It’s not that I was so enthused, that I just had to get up and write the Bit. (smile) 

Anyway, here’s a poem I recently saw hanging on the wall of my young daughter’s room. I don’t know it’s author or true title, but I’ll call it ‘Our Deepest Fear,’ and it’s ever so relevant to us in these trying times. 

Please read with me: ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. 

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.’ 

Mama Mia! What words of truth and wisdom my believing brethren! Too many of us shy away from being all that we really are for fear of making others feel less than their true selves. But the truth is, we have to shine so that others can see it’s okay to shine too. If all of us hold back our lights, hide them under a bushel, then the great light of Jesus that’s hidden within all of us won’t be fully exposed to this heathen and evil world. 

And that’s not what Jesus wants. That’s why He so forcefully declared in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lamp stand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt.5:14-15) 

Oh friends, that’s what Jesus is expecting of us; being cities set on hills and shining our bright lights forth into all the world! Why do you think He made us all brilliant and fabulous, and gorgeous and all those other wonderful things eh? It’s not for us to cover them up, but to share it with the world, and by so doing, raise up the world to His excellent standards. 

And thus He continues with this admonishment of our Bit: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ Matter fix, my people! Our job down here on earth is to shine and be salty and everything else that will glorify our wonderful Father in heaven! Glory to God! 

Just like Jesus came to earth and glorified Him, we are to do likewise. But we can’t do that if we’re cowering in fear, or insecure, or any other negative disposition. That’s what the enemy wants us to do, but please remember these most potent verses from Bruh Paul to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind. 

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thou partaker of (share with me) the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world (time) began.’ (2 Tim.1:7-9) 

Yes my fellow believers, we are not to be ashamed of Christ’s gospel, like so many of us are, but to take up our holy calling and spread it in whatever way the Lord proscribed for us, manfully bearing whatever afflictions might ensue from our actions. Remember, the Lord doesn’t ask us to do what we can’t do, and then He always assists us in doing it. 

And please note what Jesus said to the disciples later on. ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath LOVED me, so have I LOVED you: continue (abide) ye in my LOVE.’ (John 15:7-9) 

Ah friends, it all boils down to one word, LOVE: LOVE the Father, LOVE Jesus, and LOVE each other! And if we do those simple things, all will be well with our world and us. Now it’s time to go home declaring – (Chuh! Spelled it wrong again!) – our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. 

In loud and proud voice, with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen!’ 

And the corollary, as always, is to now go out and share that LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others! Much LOVE!

…as followers of Jesus…it’s our bounden duty…to show our light and power…to a dark and dismal world…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 October 2018 Matthew 5:13a & 14a.

13 Oct 2018 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:13a & 14a.     ​Ye are the salt of the earth… Ye are the light of the world…
 
And Saturday has dawned somewhat cloudy, chilly and damp from early evening drizzle. And in Mother Nature’s eccentric way, a lot of the trees that only two days ago I said were surprisingly still green, are now almost all golden yellow. She’s delivered the final message; it’s time to buckle down for the cold winter months ahead. And we, people of God, should also be heeding Mother Nature’s missive, because I believe we’ll be in for some rather tough times in the near future. 

And talking about tough times, I was negligent in mentioning Hurricane Michael that devastated parts of Florida a couple days ago. It came up suddenly, did, it’s dirty work and was gone again. Please let’s pray for those unfortunate people, and do whatever else we can to help them. But that might just be the pattern of natural disasters, or really any kind of disaster that might soon befall us. 

You’ll notice how disasters of all kinds have happened all over the world this year with surprising regularity. I don’t want to read too much into it, but friends, if we are wise, we will at least suspect the hand of our omnipotent God somewhere about in them, sending us a warning, to repent from our sinful ways. 

I don’t know if the world has ever been this evil, adding to the fact that we’re trying so desperately to oust God from our society. Do you think He’ll just sit quietly by and let it happen? I doubt it. But that’s just a word of warning to the wise. 

And since today is Saturday, let’s look at some of the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And first up is this: ‘All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.’ I’m not so sure about that nuh. 

Yes, life is indeed experimental; you have to try stuff to see if it works for you. But I truly wonder if the more experiments we try, the merrier, or better off we are? I think at some stage, when we find our true calling, that the experimenting must either cease or slow down. 

Then there is this: ‘A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.’ Now that’s basically true, but some will need a definition of wasting time before they agree, since to them doing nothing, is not always a waste of time, sometimes it can be a means of refreshing and renewing oneself. But generally speaking, just letting time fly by, and it does fly by, without doing positive and productive stuff, even if it’s simply regenerating oneself, isn’t a wise way to use it. 

Now hear this quote: ‘All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.’ That makes sense. We can’t afford to be moving too often from top to bottom, because that just saps the energy and spirit of our souls. We need to try and establish a nice balance between the good times and the rough times, plus don’t stay down too long, or fly too high before we develop wings. (smile) 

And the last quote says: ‘My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.’ 

Now that is gospel truth my brethren! We were not placed down here to merely survive, to go about like ‘poor me ones,’ but to be salt and light and magnificent examples to the unbeliever: in other words to be excellent ambassadors of Christ. As Jesus so adamantly stated in His famous Sermon on the Mount: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth… Ye are the light of the world…’ 

Yes friends, that’s what Christ’s followers are expected to be; full of vim and vigour, showing their excellence in all matters, leading the parade in His name! Now are we leading the parade in Jesus’ name, my fellow believers? I don’t think so nuh, otherwise the evil-doers would not be having the upper hand in the world today, and we’d not be trying like hell to kick Christ out of our society. 

That just shows we’re not on top of things. We seem to be more like how Christ described flavourless salt: ‘but if the salt has lost his savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men’ (Matt.5:13b) Likewise: ‘A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt.5:14b-15)  

Now if those two negative situations Jesus describes are true of us in these trying times, then it doesn’t speak well of us my believing brethren. And sadly, there is a whole lot of truth to it! Our efforts for Christ are simply not up to scratch; there are too many divisions, too much petty resentment and feuding between so-called believers, plus too much compromise with the heathen, and too much of just sitting on our laurels and figuring everything will just work itself out for good. 

No friends, winning souls for Christ, and the world for His LOVE Revolution WILL not happen without our saltiness and light blaring forth, dazzling the entire world! 

Now listen to Jesus final words on the subject. ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt.5:16) 

Yes friends, that’s how true believers ought to be behaving, so that God can be glorified! Remember that’s our chief mission here on earth! So let’s pull up our socks and go out and do better for Jesus nuh mih breddren! Don’t you feel bad that we’re letting the world blaspheme His holy name and kick Him around like a bloody football, after all He’s done for us? We ought to! Much LOVE!

…if you’re not flavouring the world with your saltiness…and dazzling them with your light…then you’re a poor ambassador for Christ…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 April 2018 Matthew 5:16.

07 Apr 2018 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:16.    Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Well a good morning to all my couch potato Scrip-Bit friends! (smile) Oh I know many of us cannot afford that luxury because there are oodles of things to be done around the house; stuff that we couldn’t or can’t do during the workweek. 

But please find some time to just laze around and do absolutely nothing but laze around, it does help to replenish the soul. We cannot be busy every second of every day. For even God rested after every day when He was creating the world. He could have done it all in one fell swoop, but He chose to take His time and do it right, and so should we. 

And since it’s Saturday, we ought also to consider some of the quotes our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And here is the first one: ‘When it rains, look for rainbows. When it’s dark, look for stars.’ 

I guess that makes sense since oftimes rainbows and stars are used by God to communicate with us, and even if there is no serious communication involved, they still lift our spirits by their natural beauty. 

And then there is: ‘Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.’ And that’s basically true, because regardless of how good or bad your situation or circumstances are, ONLY you can make yourself happy. If you don’t want to be happy, no one can do so, and likewise, if you truly want to be happy, no one or nothing can stop you. 

Now hear this next quote: ‘Surround yourself with people who get you.’ And I take it that he means people who understand you and what you plan to do. Yes friends, it’s of the utmost importance that we surround ourselves with people who think like us and are willing to go the extra mile to help us get where we want to be. 

We can’t afford traitors or naysayers, else our projects won’t flourish. And please, don’t forget when you are reaping the rewards to share them with those who’ve stood by you through thick and thin. A lot of us tend to take all the glory for ourselves and forget those who helped us get to the top. 

And the last quote says: ‘If you want to give light to others, you have to glow yourself.’ And that’s gospel truth my brethren! You can’t give away something that you don’t have. So if you want to show someone the way, you must have a light yourself to lead them, otherwise it will be just the blind leading the blind. 

That brings us to our Bit; the awesome proclamation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ 

Oh glory to God my people! That is what we were created to do; glorify God, and we can only do that by being true to our Christian way of life. And Jesus based that on two basic tenets, namely: being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. And what does He mean by that? 

Well, salt is possibly the most useful item in all of our society. It gives food flavour, acts as a preservative, melts coldness and heals wounds. Thus it is a good description of a Christian’s relationship to the world around him. And when you are born again, receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, all those elements are expected to play a major part in your life. 

However as Jesus says earlier on: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour), wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ (Matt.5:13) 

Yeh friends, if we are supposedly born again and are not behaving like salt, then we are of no use to the kingdom of heaven; more of a hindrance than a help. And sadly, that’s how a lot of us believers are looking and living today; salt less. That’s why so many others are turning away from Christianity. Our brand of Christianity has lost its flavour and purpose. 

The same goes for being the light of the world. Jesus proudly declared of His believers and followers: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket, but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt.5:7) 

Ah my fellow believers, sadly, today our faith seems to have lost it’s light, or we are hiding it under a bushel, because too many people are holding, viewing Christianity in a rather hypocritical manner. Our lives are not reflecting the light and LOVE of Jesus as they should. Our heavenly Father is certainly not being glorified the way He ought to be. 

And it’s all our fault. God has given us all the tools to do the job, but we, for whatever reason, simply aren’t doing it properly. There’s no rush of people flocking to Jesus, while many are walking away. We’ve got to stop that out flow and begin having the unbelievers knocking down the door of Jesus to get in close to Him, just dying to have what we have. 

And that can only be done if we believers pull up our socks, get serious about our faith, renew the saltiness of our spirits and remove the basket that’s hiding our wonderful light, the light of Jesus from the world. And with the help of Almighty God, we can certainly do it. 

So today, I’m imploring us to get with the programme, and get on the good foot, so that we can do our bounden duty; glorify our great God. Much LOVE!

…true believers ought to be like lighthouses…standing sentinel in the dark…to lead weary travellers to the light that’s Jesus…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 March 2017 Matthew 5:14.

30 Mar 2017 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 5:14.   Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Ah mih breddren, my ying and yang are completely out of kilter yes! When I should be sleepy, I’m wide awake, and when I should be wide awake, I’m sleepy. Steups! 

The medication I’m currently on, plus my normal, abnormal lifestyle (smile) is making it difficult to do things the way I want. And I do apologize for the lateness of the Bit this morning. But that’s my problem, so I’ll have to deal with it the best I can. 

Now here is something we all can, should, and ought to do. The story is told in the words of a song called ‘Go Light Your World.’ 

Some years ago, and I do mean several years ago, I heard this young girl sing this song on the Hour of Power, with Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert Schuller) and I was quite taken by it and tried to copy some of the words, but I never got them all. 

After that, I tried to find them, but couldn’t, and then, the other night while cleaning up my desk, I found the piece of paper with those unfinished words right at the bottom of a pile of paper I was about to throw out. 

Excitedly I enlisted my young daughter’s help to find them on the computer. And she did, but this time, sung by a different young lady, but just as sweet and meaningful. 

Now listen to these amazing and awe-inspiring words. ‘There is a candle in every soul. Some brightly burning, some dark and cold. There is a Spirit who brings fire, Ignites a candle and makes His home. 

(Chorus: Carry your candle, run to the darkness. Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn. Hold out your candle for all to see it. Take your candle, and go light your world. Take your candle, and go light your world.) 

Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to Light his own candle some other way. See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to Still holds the candle without a flame. (Chorus: Carry your candle…go light your world) 

We are a family whose hearts are a blazing. So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky. Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus. Make us a beacon in darkest times. (Chorus: Carry your candle…go light up your world.) 

Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor. Hold out your candle for all to see it. Take your candle and go light your world. Carry your candle, run to the darkness. Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn. Hold out your candle for all to see it. Take your candle, and go light your world. Take your candle, and go light your world.’ 

Ah friends, don’t those words just resonate so powerfully in your heart? Well they ought to, since they are the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, admonishing us to be lights in this world of overwhelming darkness! 

Hear our Bit: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.’ 

Yes friends, as believers, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, igniting a flame to the candle that our Maker has placed there at our creation. And we’re supposed to take that lighted candle around to all the world; the oppressed, the downtrodden, poor, sick and lonely, and brighten their darkness with the LOVE and compassion of Jesus. 

But the problem seems to be that our candles are either not lit, or we are hiding their light. But Jesus strongly informs us after our Bit. ‘Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lamp stand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt.5:15) 

Yes people, if our candles are not lit, then we need to light them ASAP! And if they are lit, we need to stop hiding their light immediately! Otherwise the candle and the light are unproductive and a waste of time. 

Oh my precious people of Christ, our world is filled with so much destructive darkness these days that we need to truly rise up and spread the wonderful light of Jesus so that some of the immense ‘sufferation’ happening under its hidden canopy can be eased. If we don’t do it, no one else will. 

Now hear Jesus to us again, with a humble, heartfelt plea in His voice. ‘Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt.5:16) 

Oh my people, my people, Jesus is pleading with us to get up and get a move on. His LOVE Revolution is not progressing as it ought to. The powers of darkness are increasing while God is decreasing, because His people are not being as enthusiastic and forthcoming and diligent as they ought to be in the fight against our carnal and worldly enemy, Lucifer. 

All I can do is to encourage us to do better, so that our world can be better, and our heavenly Father can truly be glorified. And that should not be a problem for us after all the blessings that He’s bestowed upon us. 

Let’s jog our memory then, and declare our Thursday Blessings, while remembering that a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over someone or something. 

In unison and true sincerity now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! 

I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! 

I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

Now friends, if we believe all that, then let’s go out and let our lit candles shine gloriously and brightly in this our darkened world nuh. With all those blessings, that should be quite easy to do! Much LOVE!

…our darkened world is desperate for our godly light…let’s not unwisely deprive it…