Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 December 2015 Hebrews 13:2

10 Dec 2015 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 13:2.  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Oh Friends, it’s such a magnificent blessing to have the brilliant light of the Son always shining in our souls, because when you get up at eight o’clock in the morning, look outside and only see grey skies and dank weather in the offing, it does tend to lower one’s spirits, for the sun is a natural energizer. And when we don’t see it for a period of time, it can bring some depressing moments. 

But glory to God, we have the eternal, the everlasting LIGHT of Jesus to show us the way, both spiritually and emotionally! 

That’s why those people who don’t have Christ as their Lord and Saviour are often more depressed and miserable than those who look to Him for guidance and comfort! That’s why this quote from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ Poster is so apropos for today. 

Listen to it, not only with your ears, but also with your heart and souls. ‘Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.’ 

Now my people, that is both truth and wisdom of enormous proportions! We never know what’s happening with others, and sometimes a kind smile might be just what they need to lift them up over the bar of their current circumstances. 

I’m sure many of us have felt the warmth and the li’l thrill that flashes through our souls when someone we don’t even know offers us a warm, kind smile, for no other purpose than to be friendly and sociable. 

And a warm, kind smile is certainly a necessity in the northern climes where in the autumn and winter months the weather is often grey and cloudy and lousy. So let’s use the light of Jesus and perk up today nuh my brethren and go out smiling like a Cheshire cat. (smile) 

It’s okay if they think we’re crazy, because the LOVE and LIGHT of Jesus is overflowing in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. 

That brings us to our Bit. ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’  

Yes Friends, the Lord has a soft spot for strangers, as well as widows and orphans as we see all through scripture. Listen as Moses exhorts the Israelites on the subject. 

‘For the Lord your God is a God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward (the great God, mighty and awesome who shows no partiality, nor takes a bribe). 

He doth execute the judgement of the fatherless and widow, and LOVETH the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. LOVE ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.’ (Deut.10:17-19) 

Yes my fellow believers, just a little reminder that many of us were strangers at one time in the lands in which we now live, therefore we need to show some compassion and mercy on those who have come after us. 

But let’s go back to our Bit now and some important explanations on it from the scholars. ’13:2. One incentive the author uses to encourage LOVE and hospitality is that some have entertained angels unawares. For example, Abraham (Gen.18:1-3) and Lot (Gen.19:1-2) were unaware that their guests were angels at the time they received them. 

Care must be taken so as not to read too much into this statement. The verse says that “some have entertained” (aorist tense). The use of the present tense, meaning that some do entertain angels, would provide grounds for expecting this still to happen. But such is not the teaching. 

We should nonetheless show hospitality to the needy, for it will benefit us as well as them when it is done as to the Lord (cf. Matt.25:35-40).’ 

And here in living colour is that reference. Jesus had just finished teaching the parable of the ten talents, and begun talking about when He came back in His glory and splendour to rule the earth and separated the sheep from the goats. 

‘Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand (the sheep), Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered (hungry), and ye gave me meat (food): I was thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered (hungry), and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (Matt.25:34-40) 

Oh my people, that’s how important it is to help the poor and needy in Christ’s teaching! And I can personally testify to the benefits of being taken in as a stranger, for in my second semester on the Mona campus of the University of the Wet Indies in Jamaica, a long time back, I was a stranger in a foreign land, with no friends or family around, and I fell on some hard times. 

But fortunately, the Lord God Almighty in all His LOVING-kindness, opened the hearts of Amy and Aubrey Brown to take me into their home and look after me until I was able to stand on my two feet again. The tears well up in my eyes now, as I remember that fitful time. 

The Lord bless and keep you all Aunt Ames and Uncle Aubrey as you sing with His angels up there in heaven, for I refuse to even think of what might have become of me, if you all had not taken in this stranger from Tobago when you did! I doubt I would be here writing this Bit today. 

So friends, I implore us, as we go about our business today, let’s not forget to smile and offer any kindness we can to someone in need, because they might not be angels, but they are certainly the BELOVED of Christ! Much LOVE!

…there’s nothing that a smile and a little kindness can’t fix or alleviate… 

P.S. Ah friends, unfortunately late nights and early mornings don’t mix. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 October 2014 Psalm 47:1-2

27 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

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

 Psalm 47:1-2.   O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord most high is terrible (awesome); he is a great King over all the earth.

Well hello there mih LOVELIES… its’ worky, worky time! (smile) I’m trying to tell us nicely that it’s Monday morning and we need to rise and shine and get ourselves ready to go back out to labour for massa’s pittance.

And please remember too that the tone we set for today, the attitude we go out with this morning, will most likely dictate our mental, emotional and physical state for the rest of the work week. For as the days increase, so will our enthusiasm and strength decrease. That’s why it’s always best to start out from a position of strength, rather than from one of weakness.

That’s why I also encourage us to use Sundays, the first day of the week, as a day of preparation for Monday, and thus be able to get back into the work flow as easily as possible.

Hn, hn! But all my well intentioned pleas just seem to fall on deaf ears. (smile) We’re still overdoing it on the weekends, and moaning and groaning and complaining come Monday morning.

Ah Friends, when will we learn eh? Soon, I hope, because we’re slowly killing ourselves when we get out there on Mondays, starting the way we should be ending; tired and miserable.

Anyway, let’s see if we can’t lively up ourselves some by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with a strength and sense of purpose we don’t really feel, hoping that as we fake it, it will eventually become real. Or as they say; fake it, till you make it! (smile)

With one accord now, let’s all loudly and lustily declare: ‘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!’  

Oh my people, that rendition wasn’t really so hot nuh; too many hoarse, scratchy and out of tune voices, not enough enthusiasm, etc. etc. It had Jesus shaking His head, sighing and concernedly saying: ‘What’s to become of them eh? They just don’t learn! Is just a setta hard-ears pickney (stubborn, disobedient children)!’ (smile)

But Friends, as we all know, where there is life there certainly is hope, which means we can definitely improve. But until then, we just have to go out and do the work Jesus calls us to do, in whatever state or condition we find ourselves. And though He might not be too thrilled with us, He will surely enable us to do the work if we come to Him in sincere prayer.

That’s just the wonderful kind of Lord and Saviour He is! And that’s why He also deserves many glorious accolades from us, like the one highlighted in our Bit. ‘O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord most high is terrible (awesome); he is a great King over all the earth.’

And again my brethren, we can’t help but acknowledge that as gospel truth! No wonder then, when Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and met fierce opposition from his enemies, he took this unassailable position in his omnipotent God.

‘And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible (awesome), and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’ (Neh.4:14)

And Friends, they did just that, and rebuilt the wall in record time, something like 52 days! Yes my people, we have to invoke the help of our mighty and magnanimous God in ALL of our problems, if we truly desire to be victorious in them!

And as Moses so eloquently and truthfully exhorted the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness to the Promised Land. ‘Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked (stubborn, rebellious). For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward (the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality, nor takes a bribe).

He doth execute the judgement of the fatherless and widow, and LOVETH the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. LOVE ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave (hold fast), and swear by his name.

He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible (awesome) things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.’ (Deut. 10:16-22)

Now Friends, there’s simply no refuting any of that! So I implore us, let’s take it all to heart nuh, and diligently run our race of life with it as a guiding light, a shining beacon in this dark and troubled world. For it is only as we walk and talk sincerely with Almighty God that we will have true success and lasting prosperity! Much LOVE!

…this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein…for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous…and then thou shalt have good success… (Josh.1:8)