Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 February 2017 Matthew 26:39.

17 Feb 2017 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 26:39.   And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Oh friends, can you believe it? My body rebelled against me again to day! Hn, hn! But what can I expect eh, when I keep pushing the envelope? 

What’s it they say about when force meets resistance – one of them has to give? Well I’m the one who’s been giving these last couple days! (smile) 

Meanwhile, the workingman is all excited, loudly declaring: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! The weekend’s here! The weekend’s here at long last! Is our time now! Glory Hallelujah! And we going to use it just as we please; drinking and eating, dancing and romancing! Thank God for Fridays and the weekend!’ 

Ah mih people, I know that after a hard week’s work, that’s the way many of us feel, but that’s not the optimum way to use our short time off. Our Friday chant presents a much better alternative. So let’s chant it out loud and clear, like how the workingman belted out his song of freedom. 

As one 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.’ 

Yes my brethren, it’s all about using our time, talents and energy in the best manner that glorifies our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Our thoughts should constantly be permeated by, ‘will this glorify Jesus?’ for that’s why we were so wonderfully made. 

Just as Jesus was made to glorify His heavenly Father, and did so above all else, as we see from our Bit. ‘And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ 

So ought we to consider the Lord’s will before we do anything at all in this earthly life.  

And today we’ll continue looking at the words of some of the saints on the topic. Listen to the author of Hebrews: ‘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: …

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience (endurance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.’ (Heb.10:23-24; 35-36)  

Yes my fellow believers, we have to stand strong in faith, in LOVE and good works and concentrate on doing God’s will, so that we can receive His faithful promise afterwards. If we don’t do His will, there won’t be any rewards later on. It’s as simple as that. 

Now hear Peter as he talks about being good stewards of God’s grace. ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as (to the extent that) ye are partakers of Christ’s suffering; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

If ye be reproached (insulted) for the name of Christ, happy (blessed) are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of (blasphemed), but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody (meddler) in other men’s matters. 

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (matter). For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 

And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.’ (1 Pet.4:12-19) 

Ah precious people of God, although our earthly circumstances may be painful and difficult, it’s only in doing God’s will, and with His help, bearing up under the pressure, that we will reap joy when Jesus returns. 

I know it sounds unfair and whatever else, but that’s the way our God operates, and we know that He is a good God, and will work everything out for our benefit in the end. So let’s not lose faith while we wait. 

And we’ll end with this admonition from Peter. ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!’ (1 Pet.5:10-11) 

What more can I say eh friends? Not a whole lot. Doing God’s will is just the lot of Christians. Much LOVE!

…if ye suffer with and for Christ…you will rejoice and be glad with Him…when He returns…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 November 2016 2 Timothy 3:17.

15 Nov 2016 Leave a comment

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

2 Timothy 3:17.    That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works. 

Oh friends, I’d like to open this Tuesday morning with a call to prayer for Scotty Richards, one of our staunchest Scrip-Bit family members.Every time he sees me, he asks me something about the Bit. 

Scotty, one of my church Wardens, is presently in the hospital and I ask us all to kindly remember him in our prayers. Let’s pray that the Lord will heal him of all that’s causing him to be hospitalized right now, and that he will soon return to his normal life. 

Scotty, mih brother, we still need you here with us. So please hurry up and get well. Amen. 

Now here is something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin. It’s titled; ‘The Reason’ and I daresay that it applies to many of us. 

It says: ‘God, why am I so often defeated? Why am I so full of dread and anxiety? Why am I so lamentably weak – So perilously susceptible to temptation? Why am I often inhospitable So intolerant of the needs of others? 

Why am I so undisciplined So restless and dissatisfied? Why do I protest so violently? Above all God Why do I so frequently lose The sense of Your shining Presence? God, why? Why?’  

And God’s answer; short and to the point: ‘Because you pray so little.’ 

Yes friends, that could be the reason why so many negative things keep on assaulting us; our prayer life is just not full enough. We don’t spend enough time communicating with our heavenly Father. 

Remember, we can’t fight off evil or negative situations unless we have the positive power of God working with and for us. And we can only get that power by constant communication with our Creator. As the promise for that poem so rightly tells us: ‘Pray without ceasing.’ (1 Thess. 5:17) 

Oh my brethren, as followers of Jesus Christ, we should always have an attitude of prayer, though we might not be praying audibly, which will allow the Holy Spirit that indwells each believer, to do a better job of leading and guiding us. 

And today will probably the last day for this renowned Bit. (smile) ‘That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.’ 

Yes my people, our wise and wonderful God has provided a guidebook for us, in the Bible, and also provided the Holy Spirit to help us walk this earthly pilgrimage. We have been given EVERYTHING we need to be successful in this life. All we have to do now is faithfully follow the instructions and directions. 

Now let’s look at a scripture that corroborates the words of our Bit. The author of Hebrews declares unto us: ‘Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 

Make you perfect (complete) in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ’ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Heb.13:20-21) 

Ah my fellow believers in Christ, what a wonderful God we serve and worship! In His supreme wisdom, He’s provided for all our needs. We lack for nothing, but through His Word and the Holy Spirit we are energized to do all that we need to do. 

Now listen to these words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of (according to) his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputings. 

That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights of the world.’ (Phil.2:13-15)  

And the scholars give us some explanation re those verses. ‘2:14. Since God is producing in the Philippians the willing and doing of His good and perfect will (v.13), there can be no legitimate reason for murmurings and disputings. 

Not only are they forbidden to complain about the difficulties and persecutions that will befall them in carrying out God’s good pleasure, but quarrelling among themselves is also prohibited.’ 

The same things apply to us in these modern times my friends. We have no good reason to murmur or complain, because God has already provided all we need to do His good work. 

‘2:15. If the readers obey the commands of verses 12-14, they will be (become) blameless [i.e., no finger of accusation can justly be pointed at them] and harmless (i.e.’ morally pure). Due to party strife and bickering, this is not true of them. 

As the sons of God…in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), they are to be without rebuke – without incurring spiritual damage. The proper place for God’s people is among the lost. For only in such a position can true Christian witness be borne and influence for the gospel be effectively exerted. 

Yet believers must remain “without rebuke” in that they suffer no moral damage by contact with the unsaved. Then among unbelievers they will shine as lights in the world. As stars are readily noticeable in a dark sky, so healthy Christian lives stand out in testimony among the lost and give credence to one’s witness.’ 

Yes my people, I know it’s seems like a hard row to hoe, but please remember that we have already been granted all we need to succeed in God’s work. Now let’s go home loudly and sincerely declaring our Tuesday mantra. 

As one now: ‘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 with all of that sizzling in our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, let’s go out and shine like stars in the darkness of this evil and ungodly world nuh, and thus glorify our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!

…to shine…to shine…to shine in the darkness…that’s a believer’s bounden duty…