Today’s Scrip-Bit   6 May 2024   2 Thessalonians 3:13.

06 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

2 Thessalonians 3:13.       But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

One more Monday, one more day of work, that’s the way the cookie crumbles! Yes friends, that’s how modern-day life works; no work, no pay, and no money, no food, clothing or shelter. And I do know that the Lord has promised that if we keep Him Number One in our lives, He will provide all of our material needs, but that doesn’t mean just sitting down and doing nothing. We are expected to work down here on earth, as well as in heaven above. 

Don’t let all the glorious and marvellous aspects of heaven fool you into thinking that you’ll be doing nothing for eternity. No sir! And though I don’t know exactly what we will be doing in heaven, I do know that we will be doing something constructive, not just lazing around and enjoying the high life, like so many of us want to do down here. 

And it always intrigues me when I think of Bruh Paul’s writings to the Thessalonians on the subject of working and eating. ‘For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk disorderly among you, working not at all, but are busybodies. 

Now them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not an enemy.’ (2 Thess. 3:10-15) 

Now in these modern times there are many busybodies, gadabouts and lazy people who don’t want to work, but prefer to live like parasites off of others who toil and labour for their daily bread. And I wonder how Bruh Paul’s system would work in today’s crazy and oh so convoluted world. He doesn’t mean to have the lazy person excommunicated, just shamed into working. 

Hn! I don’t believe that would work very well in our society, because there are so many layabouts who have absolutely no shame. In fact, our current society is one in general that doesn’t know the meaning of the word. Some of the things we do, the atrocities we commit nowadays, would never have been committed just a few generations ago, because they would just be too shameful and definitely not appreciated. But in today’s free for all society, any and everything goes, and words like shame, disgrace, disrepute and embarrassment, no longer carry a strong deterrent value. 

But what we really want to talk about today is the li’l gem hidden in Bruh Paul’s words above: ‘But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.’ That friends, is one of the most important aspects of our Christian faith. Jesus alluded to it in Matthew 25:31-46, when He spoke of the separation of the sheep and the goats, where doing good to the poor and needy also meant doing good to him. ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ (Matt. 25:40) 

And Bruh Paul exhorts us in several scriptures to do the same thing. Listen to him in the letter to the Galatians. ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’ (Gal. 6:9-10) 

Then in his first letter to the Corinthians, in speaking of victory over death, he says: ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:57-58) 

And last but not least, to the church at Rome, Bruh Paul writes: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned (be affectionate) one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring (giving preference to) one another…Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation (persevering in tough times); continuing instant (steadfastly) in prayer; Distributing to the necessity (needs) of the saints; given to hospitality. 

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not…Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide (have regard for) things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in (depends on) you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:9-10, 11-14, 17-21) 

Now, having read and inwardly digested those scriptures, (smile) let’s go to the throne of grace in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for divine aid to put it all into action. Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! 

And again, we say: Amen!’ Please, let’s not forget that God promised to prosper us… if we turn from our evil ways, so let’s be wise and begin there nuh. Much LOVE!

…if ye LOVE me…keep my commandments… (John 14:15)

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 May 2024   1 Corinthians 3:11.

05 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 3:11.       For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Aye friends, at long last it’s Sunday, and we get to visit, worship and fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary! Wow! What a blessed time that will be! For there’s no other occasion like it, one that can renew our spirits and lift our confidence and self-esteem sky high! And that’s the great benefit of assembling together in the Lord’s house. How did the author of Hebrews put it? ‘And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:24-25) 

And according to the scholars; ‘The assembling of God’s people provides opportunity for reciprocal encouragement, strengthening, and the stirring up that can be gained from one another (Col. 3:12-16). It consists of participation in worship and fellowship. The church is a body interacting (1 Cor. 12:14-27); it is not merely a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine.’ And today we’re going to stir up each other in worship and fellowship beginning with the magnificent hymn authored by the Englishman Edward Mote, in the mid-nineteenth century, titled ‘My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.’ 

Now, according to this commentary, ‘Mote wrote just one hymn in his lifetime. From what we know of his life, “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less” was just as much an anthem of his own testimony as it has become for believers all over the world. Having grown up knowing nothing of God or His existence, Mote first attended church and became a Christian as a young adult. While still a new believer, he was compelled to try his hand at hymn writing. Thus, Mote wrote from a basic, yet profound understanding of his salvation. 

Later that same week, he visited a married couple at the wife’s sickbed. Without a hymnal handy to lead them in a song of worship, Mote produced a folded-up piece of paper upon which he had worked out four verses and a chorus. Together, they sang the hymn now known as “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less” for the first time, blessed by the truths of God’s Word in the lyrics.’  Then Mote became a Baptist Minister for the last 26 years of his life. 

So now that we know some of the song’s history, let’s offer it up in sweet sacrifices of praise, in a joyful, up tempo beat, with lots of scintillating music, because it’s a song that tells of the Lord’s saving grace, and nothing in the universe can bring more joy than that. So, singing: ‘My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. (Refrain: On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.) When darkness veils his lovely face I rest on His unchanging grace In every high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil. (Refrain) 

His oath, his covenant, his blood Supports me in the ‘whelming flood When all around my soul gives way He then is all my hope and stay. (Refrain) Not earth, nor hell, my soul can move; I rest upon unchanging LOVE. I trust his righteous character, his counsel, promise, and his pow’r. [Refrain] When he shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in him be found, dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain: On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand. Oh thank You Lord…You solid rock…’

Yes my fellow believers, that’s sure-fire cause for joy and rejoicing because Christ is the sole means of our salvation. Our hope is truly built on nothing less than Jesus. For He alone gives us the assurance and hope of safety and refuge in this ungodly world that we so desperately need. Now, let’s see if we can break down the song so that we can better understand it. One commentary breaks it down thus: ‘The first stanza declares God’s grace; stanzas 2 and 3 concern the application of that grace in times of trouble. In the final stanza, Mote brings his hymn full circle with the ultimate realization of God’s grace.’ 

And the chorus of the song ‘On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand,’ is based on Jesus’ parable of the wise man who builds his house on a rock, that stands strong when the storms of life come, as opposed to the foolish one who builds on the sand, and it is completely washed away when the rains and the floods come. (Matt. 7:24-27) Obviously Christ is the solid rock on which we can all stand. As Moses says of God in his song: ‘He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgement (justice): a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.’ (Deut. 32:4) 

And that’s no lie friends! Our God is great and perfect. There’s’ no other like Him, that’s why we can place our complete trust in His Promises, His Word, and His Son! Meanwhile, in Bruh Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he writes: ‘According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor. 3:10-11) 

And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Christ is the only true and solid foundation on which mankind can build because of the power and authority bestowed on Him for His overwhelming sacrifices on our behalf. ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and earth.’ (Matt. 28:18) And someone asks, what does it mean to trust the sweetest frame? Well this commentary explains it thus: ‘The sweetest frame, means the best person you could ever find (frame = human body). I dare not trust that person (however dependable, clever or strong they are) but wholly trust in Jesus’ name (because he is the One who is truly faithful, good and perfect and He became my sin-bearer at the cross).’ 

Ah friends, it’s so wonderful to have Jesus as our Be All and End All! That means we have to turn to NO ONE ELSE, but Him for whatever we need. And that’s certainly a good feeling. Then there’s this other question: What does “my anchor holds within the veil” mean? According to this commentary, it means that “In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.” Nothing can separate us from the LOVE of Christ because nothing can un-anchor Him from us, or us from Him. No storms of sin, no gales of guilt, no floods of fear.’ 

Oh what a wonderful fact! Nothing whatsoever can separate us from Jesus as Bruh Paul so surely proclaims in his letter to the Romans. ‘For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:38-39) 

Now, there couldn’t be a better scripture for us to take away from our fellowship today my fellow saints, so please, let’s write it deep in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, to give us the reassurance and confidence we so badly need in these desperate and troubled times! Much LOVE!

…Jesus Christ…the ONLY reliable ONE in this crazy world…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 May 2024 Matthew 6:31.

04 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:31.        Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

And what a beautiful springtime, lazy-day Saturday it is in my neighbourhood! The sun’s shining brightly, not a dark cloud in the sky, with temps in the high teens, with the birds singing their morning praise to their heavenly Father who looks after them with such tender, LOVING care that they want for nothing! Oh how I wish that we could be as grateful and give the plentiful amount of thanks that they give to the same heavenly Father who also takes of our every need! For He’s a Creator who LOVES, understands and looks after His creations. 

How did Jesus put it in His Sermon on the Mount, in his teaching on worry? ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat (food), and the body more than raiment (clothing)? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

Which of you by taking thought (worrying) can add one cubit unto his stature (height)? And why take ye thought for (worry about? raiment (clothes)? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed (clothed) like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?’ (Matt. 6:25-30) 

Ah friends, in His usual forthright manner, Christ hit the proverbial nail right on the head! Our great God is not a wishy-washy, fly-by-night operator. No! He is a serious and concerned Creator, who looks after His creations like the wonderful Father He is. And if you dissect Jesus’ words, you’ll find that they are indeed the gospel truth. The birds neither sow nor reap, but they don’t ever go hungry, and they always seem to be happy, singing and dancing. Likewise the flora of the field all look beautiful in their time, more beautiful than Cousin Sol in all his finery, without either sowing or reaping. 

And the lilies do look loverly, as I can attest to because a few have grown up in the duchess’ front garden without help from her or anyone else…and they are indeed loverly shades of red and yellow. So, if the lower rungs of creation can find food, raiment and satisfaction from God, why can’t we eh, His most important creation? Because as Jesus said, our faith is small. 

Then I like how He puts the finishing touches to His argument. ‘Therefore take no thought (do not worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:31-33) 

Yes mih bredrin, Jesus tells it like it is! If you claim to believe in God, then your priority must be seeking Him and His will above all else in this world. It’s as simple as that. It’s just like being a member of any earthly organization: you can’t claim to be a true member unless you follow the rules, go to the meetings and do what the organization is set up to do. Likewise you can’t be a true member of Christ’s church and not follow it’s rules and regulations and do the work it was set up to do. 

And if you so do, then your needs will be met by the heavenly Father. It’s a promise made by Christ and fleshed out by Bruh Paul, when he writes to the Philippians: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) And if we stand on that promise, then we can take Jesus’ next words with full belief. ‘Take therefore no thought for (do not worry about) the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the (trouble) evil thereof.’ (Matt. 6:34) 

Yes friends all of what we’ve read simply means that the first thing we need to do is to seek the righteousness of God’s kingdom, and then continue seeking it. We can’t ever stop. And if we seek the spiritual aspect of God’s kingdom, then He will provide the material aspects we need. As the scholars tell us: ‘When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides. We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’ 

Unfortunately though, especially in these uncertain and troubled times, too many of us still worry about what could happen tomorrow. And yes, we must make some provision and take some thought for the morrow, but not to the extent that so many of us do. And if you’ll think back through the years, I’m sure you’ll realize that many of the hypothetical problems that we’ve outlined for the morrow, either never happened, or not to the extent or degree that we supposed. And worst of all, when we worry about the past or the future, we end up not enjoying the present as we should. 

Remember today only lasts for today! And it’s a gift that we ought to enjoy to the fullest.  That’s why the psalmist wrote these most meaningful words: ‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps. 118:24) And you cannot do that if you’re worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. So let’s wake up and smell the roses and do as Jesus says nuh; stop worrying, for worrying improves nothing. And no, I have not forgotten our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer, it just seemed more appropriate for the end today. (smile) 

So let’s offer it up in all sincerity and truth. ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And if your words were heartfelt, then I know that you will enjoy a peaceful and relaxing lazy-day Saturday, for the Lord always answers prayers that seek Him and His righteousness! Much LOVE!

…God doesn’t cause worry…worry is fear invoked by the devil…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   3 May 2024 Isaiah 55:6.

03 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 55:6.        Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

And this Friday morning in early May, as we shout ‘TGIF! Thank God It’s Friday!’ we celebrate the rebirth of the flora around us. Yes friends, spring has finally shown it’s green and wonderful face after such a long absence. And what amazes me, is that a couple days ago, trees that had no leaves, merely some brown buds, today are overflowing with greenery. But that’s how the awesome plan of God for the smooth running of the universe works; in mysterious ways that our finite and puny minds can never grasp or fully understand. 

That ought to remind us of these magnificent and oh so true words of the Lord, spoken through the prophet Isaiah, informing the Israelites, and us too, that God abundantly pardons. ‘Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.’ (Is. 55:6-7) 

Ah mih people, that call which was issued to the Israelites in their season of rebellion and sinfulness so many years ago, is again being issued to us in our great sinfulness and ungodly ways, for few, if any other generations have been more wicked and ungodly than ours is today. And we badly need to seek the Lord for His mercy and pardon if we expect to survive for any length of time on this earth, because as we continue in our sinful and ungodly ways we keep destroying God’s planet as well as ourselves. And if we play the scenario out to its complete fulfillment then we’ll simply destroy the earth and all therein. 

That’s the foolish and arrogant plan we’re following right now. And the only way to put a stop to it, is to turn back to the God of our forefathers, who created and still controls the universe. And these further words of Isaiah ought to wake us up to reality, help us take our foolish heads from the sand in which it’s so thoroughly buried that we don’t know right from wrong, or whether we’re coming or going. 

Listen up: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void (empty, without fruit), but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing which whereto I sent it.’ (Is. 55:8-11)  

Oh friends, we certainly cannot deny the truth of those statements! The Lord’s ways and thoughts are certainly higher than ours. His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence far outweighs what little power and understanding we possess, and we cannot begin to understand His person and purposes. That’s why He is God and we are simply His creation! Although in our foolish pride we ofttimes behave as though it’s the opposite way, and we end up paying a hefty price for that unwise thinking. But unfortunately the high price of disobedience doesn’t stop us from being rebellious and ungodly. 

Let’s remember that our gift from God of free choice was not meant to choose the ungodly things of Satan, but the everlasting and wonderful things of God. But as always, mankind has abused that gift, turning more to the pleasures of sin advocated by Satan, than the pleasures of righteousness advocated by God. And that’s why our world is in such a mess right now, with strife and all the negative emotions of the evil one overwhelming our world. 

But here’s what the Lord promised the Israelites if they turned back to Him. ‘For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall calp their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up a fir (cypress) tree, and instead of the brier (thorny plant) shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.’ (Is. 55:12-13) 

Now doesn’t that scenario sound so much better than the one in which we’re currently enveloped? It surely does! So why don’t we turn from our evil ways, embrace the righteousness of God and make it come to pass eh? Remember, the sweetness of sin only lasts for a short while, then comes the payback. And payback is …hell! And that’s exactly what we’re suffering right now here on earth. Remember God’s Word will not be spoken in vain. Whatever it’s sent out to do, it will accomplish. And He sent it out in the first place promising salvation to all mankind, which has been accomplished by the work and sacrifice of Jesus. 

So please, let’s get smart nuh, use the wisdom that God gave us and turn back to Him while He can still be found. And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace through the prayer of our Friday Chant, seeking the help we so desperately need in these evil and ungodly times. Altogether now: ‘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 the 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 fervently pray too 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!’ 

Now friends, there’s an interesting proviso to receiving divine help…we must first show that we’re turning from our evil ways and being good examples of godly living. That’s what drives divine help! Much LOVE!

..a word to the wise is sufficient…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 May 2024   1 Timothy 6:10a.

01 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Timothy 6:10a.       For the LOVE of money is the root of all (all kinds of) evil:

So it’s a fairly warm and sunshiny Wednesday in my neighbourhood, though with a bit of cloud cover as the merry month of May opens in this crazy year of 2024. Yes friends, the year is only one third done, and it’s already showing some very unstable and mentally challenged tendencies. But let’s hope as we catch our second wind for this work week that we will be able to hold our own, and even gain some ground in this mentally challenged and spiritually evil world, through the ever present auspices of Jesus Christ in our lives, that’s His guidance and endorsement through the working of the Holy Spirit. For without it, we will all surely go mad, seeing and experiencing the craziness that’s currently going on in our world. 

And all God’s people said, a loud and grateful: ‘Thank God for Jesus yes! Otherwise we’d all be lost in the sea of craziness and evil that’s overtaken the earth.’ Now, today, we’re going to read a poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that hopefully will help us to curb one tendency in the mental madness of the world. The poem is simply but very explicitly titled ‘Seek First.’ And as always, I don’t know if I have shared this poem before, but if so, then it’s definitely worth sharing again. (smile)  

So please read with me: ‘O Lord How futile, how foolish To attempt to keep up with the Joneses On the gold-studded ladder of success. Even if we make it (Setting high, competitive  goals) We awake one dismal morning To discover the Smiths have bypassed the Joneses So it starts again – the goading competition. God, our objective is far more rewarding. You want us to “keep up” with Your plan For our individual lives. “Seek first  the Kingdom of God” Is Your shining word to us. Forgive us for moments and days (Even months)  when our LOVE of money Has exceeded our LOVE for You. Please, God Be our financial Advisor and deliver us from a thousand “if onlys.” May we never be defeated By the lack of money Or captivated by the lure of it.’ 

Wow mih bredrin, what awesomely accurate words for something that bedevils so many of us in this greedy and sinful world. And all of us, at some stage in life, have felt the agonizing heartache that the lack of money brings, and most likely have promised ourselves never to let that happen to us again. However, whether through our fault or unfortunate circumstances, we’ve been through it again and again, and that’s no sin, unless we waste whatever we have on stuff that we don’t truly need. Then as the times get tougher and harder, money becomes even more difficult to make and keep. 

But what’s an even bigger problem is the LOVE of money that so many of us have, and with that the very foolish idea of running some competition with other foolish folks about who can have the most money or the most material possessions. But most of us should, and would know better if we would only read and put the words of the Bible into action. For instance, listen to this passage from Bruh Paul’s first letter to Timothy re the Root of All Evil, and from which the Bible Promise for our poem is taken. 

‘But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content. But they that will (desire to) to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction (in ruin) and perdition. For the LOVE of money is the root of all (all kinds of) evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows, (for which some in their greediness have strayed from the faith and ended up in a sorrowful state).’  (1 Tim. 6:6-10) 

Oh friends, it could not be any more explicit than that. And we all know people, even possibly ourselves, who have fallen into such sorrow because of greed and competitive folly. But let’s hope that at this mature stage of our lives we have gotten past the devilish LOVE of money, that can cause all kinds of evils and problems in our lives. And please note, it’s not the money itself that causes the real problem, but our great desire and LOVE for it, that causes us to do anything to get it! 

Then there’s this next scripture that deals with comparing ourselves to each other, contained in Bruh Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, which explicitly says: ‘For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.’ (2 Cor. 10:12) There it is in black and white in the Lord’s word, my fellow believers! But yet we still persist in the foolish games of comparing ourselves, or as the poem puts it, ‘keeping up with the Joneses.’ 

And why is comparing ourselves to others, especially on money and material possessions, not good? Listen to these two commentaries that answer the question. The first one, in talking about the dangers of comparing ourselves to other believers says: ‘Comparison can drive us to sinful competition with other believers. We might find sinful motivations in our heart for serving at church or studying our Bible. If we can do more and do it better than them, we’d get the praise and recognition we “deserve.” 

Then the second one says this about the sin of comparison: ‘When you compare yourself to others, you either feel better or worse about yourself. There is no in-between. This sense of pride or insecurity can open the door to a lot of negativity. It makes you vulnerable to sin, and can breed insecurities, pride, envy and jealously; everything that God is against.’ And that’s the indisputable truth friends, as we can see from all the different cliques and groups in the church fighting for superiority, but only causing strife and further division of an already greatly divided church.  

And sadly, it’s the greed and strife, the anger and hatred, the evil doing and ungodly actions that the world is currently revolving around, rather than the LOVE, joy, peace, harmony ,unity and togetherness that ought to be uppermost. And we have no one else to blame but ourselves, for not doing what the Lord taught us: to seek first the kingdom of God and all the things we need would be given to us, and also the be the salty and bright shining Christians who go around spreading the good news of His gospel. And until we begin to seriously do those things, our world will continue to be thoroughly corrupt and evil! End of sermon. 

Now for those of us who are sincerely trying to be good disciples, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of or wonderful position in Jesus Christ! As one voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And we’ve been promised that if we stay connected to Christ to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! So please, let’s be wise and plan to meet there at the very end nuh! Much LOVE!

…to be a true believer…your life must show the actions of true belief…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 April 2024 John 14:6.

30 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 14:6.       I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

And it’s Tuesday, the last day of April 2024. Can you believe it? We’ve already gone through a third of this supposed new year! (smile) But that’ how it’s running these days; neither time nor tide is waiting for anyone. It’s a good thing then that we have Jesus to help us through these fast moving, evil, deceitful and ungodly times! Where would we be without Him eh? Bound up in the evil bonds of Satan, living like so much of the world is, filled with anger, hatred, strife and all the other negative things that are Satan’s attributes. 

But thank God for Jesus, our Saviour, our Lifeline, our Be All and End All! That means these memorable words of His are the gospel truth: ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:4-5) That reminds us of the prophet Hosea’s words when talking about Israel’s return to the Lord. 

‘They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent (aroma) thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir (cypress) tree. From (in) me is thy fruit found.’ (Hos. 14:7-8) Yes my people, Israel would at last discover that God was their EVERYTHING, and only with Him first place in their lives would they grow and prosper. It’s the same thing for us today. Only with Jesus in our lives, and we in His, can we ever do much that’s worthwhile. 

And I really like this last verse of Hosea’s prophecy. ‘Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall (stumble) therein.’ (Hos. 14:9) Meanwhile, in Psalm 111, as he outlines ‘The Greatness of God’s Works,’ the psalmist concurs with Hosea’s proclamation. 

‘The works of his hands are verity (truth) and judgement (justice); all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding  have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.’ (Ps. 111:7-10) Yuh see the psalmist is even quoting Cousin Sol re the fear of the Lord from Proverbs 1:7. 

And don’t think that Cousin Sol doesn’t have anything to say on the subject. (smile) Of course he does. Like he has something to say on just about every topic under the sun. Listen, as he agrees with the other two scriptures. ‘The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be moved: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth (land). The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the forward (perverse) tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness (perversity).’ (Prov. 10:27-32) 

Oh friends, please let us remember all those words that we’ve just heard and read, and write them indelibly in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, for they will serve us in very good stead, keep us attached to the Lord, provide a lifeline to Him. For, remember without Jesus, and ONLY through Him, will we ever see the Father’s face in the next life. As He says with imperial certainty: ‘I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) So it’s imperative that if we want to spend eternity with the Father, Jesus must be the example that we follow in this earthly life. 

And I believe these words from Hebrews are a good way to cement all that we’ve spoken about above. So please read and understand with me: ‘Having therefore, brethren, boldness (confidence) to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

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: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:19-25) 

Oh my fellow saints, that is one of the most comprehensive passages of scripture on our basic requirements as believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ! And if we just do what it says, to be strong in Christ, our heavenly high priest, be steadfast in our Christian beliefs because God is faithful; He keeps all His promises. And above all, to LOVE, encourage and edify each other, stirring up the brethren to do good works, while getting together in praise and worship to strengthen the bonds of unity. 

Yes friends, if we’d only do those simple things consistently, our Christian witness would be ever so much better than it currently is. Therefore, I implore us today, to get serious about our faith and consequently lift up ourselves and those around us, so that Christ can be acknowledged and celebrated all around the glorious universe that He’s made for us to enjoy. 

Now, let’s go home proclaiming to all and sundry, to whom we belong, lock stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘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 my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now, it’s our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do. Much LOVE!

…the time to accept Jesus is NOW…it will be too late when you die…

 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 April 2024 John 17:16.

29 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 17:16.       They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Okay friends, let’s proclaim that come this Monday, we will be all right…that come this Monday, we will do the Lord’s work with all of our might! For in truth, that’s how it ought to be, not the ofttimes wishy-washy way we do it, if we choose to do it at all. We need to be saltier, and shining ever so brightly with the light of Jesus, that whoever sees us, knows right away that there’s something different, something different but good in us, which causes their passion to rise and desire whatever it is that makes us stand out from the ordinary, worldly crowd! 

And we all know that’s the amazing power of the Holy Spirit working in us to produce the fruit of the Spirit, and let it flourish, for as Jesus says in the parable of the Sower, we are good ground and the seed sown in such brings forth much fruit, many more times than the amount of seed that was sown; ‘some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’ (Matt. 13:23) And what’s the fruit of the Spirit some may ask? Bruh Paul explains in his letter to the Galatians. 

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE (the willing sacrificial giving of oneself to others without expecting anything in return), joy (the gladness of heart), peace (tranquility of mind), longsuffering (patience with others, a disposition quietly bearing injury), gentleness (kindness), goodness (generosity), faith (dependability), meekness (courtesy and consideration in one’s relations with others), temperance (self-control): against such there is no law.’ (Gal. 5:22-23). 

And as faithful Christians, we are expected to have all nine of those spiritual virtues. Yes mih people, that’s the kind of impact we ought to be having on this ungodly and evil world, but unfortunately we are not having such a drastic effect on it. More than likely the world is having a much more powerful effect on believers than believers are having on it. Remember we are supposed to be in the world, but not of the world; physically present, but not holding it’s values and sentiments. 

That’s why Jesus prayed to the Father: ‘Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil (the evil one). They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ (John 17:15-16) And that’s the gospel truth, for Jesus kingdom is not in this world as He said to Pilate during His false and unjust trial. ‘My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.’ (John 18:36) 

And if Jesus’ kingdom is elsewhere than this world, that means, as His followers, our place is with Him, wherever He might be. As Bruh Paul wrote to the Philippians: ‘For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the workings whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.’ (Phil. 3:20-21) 

Yes friends, we’re citizens of heaven, only on a short purposeful journey on this earth, and when Jesus returns we will undergo both an internal and external transformation, making us ever so much more in body and character like Him. But in the meanwhile, we desperately need to improve our godly tendencies, grow the fruit of the Spirit on the good soil we’re supposed to be, and spread it all over the world, so that the world can receive Jesus and His good news gospel and be saved from hellfire and damnation. 

And if you didn’t know it, that’s our job, Jesus made it quite clear when He gave us the Great Commission. ‘All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples) of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:18-20) 

Oh my fellow saints, it could not be any clearer than that: our job is to proselytize the world for Jesus; bring them to Him, so that He can save their sinful souls and eventually have them seated with Him in heavenly places. But from how the world is going, it’s obvious, for whatever reason(s) we’re not doing a good job of turning things around, and thus are disappointments to both ourselves and Jesus. Now it’s bad enough to disappoint ourselves, but disappointing Jesus…that’s a no-no! 

How can we ever do that after all the selfless and punishing sacrifices He made for us. That’s unthinkable my people! Therefore, I’m pleading with us, beginning RIGHT NOW, let’s take heart and improve our Christlike behaviour nuh. For if we truly LOVE Jesus, as we claim, then we need to be better ambassadors and workers on His behalf. And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine assistance. 

Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. 

So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And as our prayer says, if we expect to receive divine aid, then we first need to humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek the Lord’s face. That’s course 101: Introduction to Divine Help! Much LOVE!

…like any other fruit…that of the Holy Spirit will not flourish…unless it’s well watered and tended with LOVING care…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   28 April 2024   1 Thessalonians 4:16c.

28 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 4:16c.       and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Brother, do these Sundays ever come around quickly! But I guess that’s for our benefit, as it seemingly shortens the time between our Sunday visits to the Lord’s sanctuary, where we fellowship and worship and are renewed in spirit, body and soul for another active week in the devil’s den, our ungodly and evil world! But whether time is going fast or slow, the fact remains that we’re in church today and are going to sing one of the most popular Christian hymns of all time, ‘When the Roll is called up Yonder.’ 

The song was written in 1893 by James M. Black, the Youth Pastor at a church in Williamsport, PA, It’s central theme is being in Heaven when your time has come and not missing out on the eternal salvation of God. And it was apparently inspired by the idea of The Book of Life mentioned in the Bible, (Rev. 20) and by the absence of a child from a poor family in Black’s Sunday school class when the attendance was taken. The idea of someone not being in attendance in heaven haunted Black, and after visiting the child’s home and calling on a doctor to attend her for pneumonia, he went home and wrote the song after not finding one on a similar topic in his hymn collection. 

So, now knowing some the song’s background, let’s sing it, offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a mid-tempo sincere and heartfelt version, letting all and sundry, including heaven, know of where we’re going one fine day when it’s all over down here on earth. Singing: ‘When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more, And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair; When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. (Refrain:) When the roll is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there). 

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise, And the glory of His resurrection share; When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. (Refrain) Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun, Let us talk of all His wondrous LOVE and care; Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. (Refrain:) When the roll is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder, When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there).’  

Now that roll call up yonder is the expectation of finding a home in heaven when the days on earth are done. And we’re truly sorry for those who won’t find themselves in that heavenly home on that fateful day, that’s those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour while alive here on earth. Unfortunately, they will experience the worst thing that can ever happen to a human being, eternal separation from God. But that’s the choice they made. And by the way, no one knows when that day will be, for as Jesus said: ‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall the coming of the Son of man be… Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.’ (Matt. 24:36-37, 42) 

Yes friends, we don’t know when our Lord and Saviour is coming back, but we know for sure that He will return. And Bruh Paul and Peter both state that He will come as a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10). That reinforces Christ’s statement to be on guard. And where do we find the surety of these words in the song? ‘When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, and the morning breaks eternal bright and fair; when the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.’ 

Basically from these two scriptures from the pen of Bruh Paul. The first one to the church at Corinth: ‘Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (trumpet): for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.’ (1 Cor. 15:51-53) So on that day when the trump of God blows, our corruptible bodies will rise and become incorruptible and immortal. 

Then in 1 Thessalonians, Bruh Paul writes: ‘For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (trumpet) of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever (always) be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.’ (1 Thess. 4:16-18) Yes friends, that basically describes the Rapture of the church, where the Lord will come for us and take us away to yonder home forever. 

But them some of us ask, what’s this ‘yonder’ all about eh? And I found this commentary that puts it rather nicely. ‘It says: ‘Yonder is the place of meaning, purpose, and destiny that God has planned for your life. It’s the place of being in the center of the perfect will of God. It’s the place of doing what you were created to do. Everything you go through in life will bring you to Yonder . . . if you will let God’s grace guide you. Are you willing to make the journey?’ 

Now that’s a question that each of us must ask ourselves. The wise ones will not only say ‘Yes!’ but also put their backs to the tasks, the sacrifices and tough times involved in the journey, knowing that the reward up yonder, will certainly be worth the earthly price we pay. Much LOVE!

…to end up up yonder…Christ must rule our lives down here…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 April 2024 Amos 5:4.

27 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Amos 5:4.        For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live.

Rainy days and lazy-day Saturdays always make me glad… especially if I don’t have to go out in them. (smile) And though the early morning rain has stopped now, it’s still wet and cloudy out there, so don’t go out unless you really have to, stay inside and enjoy the relaxing laziness of the day. And to help us do that, let’s offer up our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer. 

In sincere and heartfelt voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’ 

And as always, if our words were truly sincere, then we know that the Lord is currently answering our prayer for calmness and peace, and filling our souls and spirits with His undying, unconditional LOVE, for He never allows those kinds of prayers that truly seek Him, to go unanswered.  

Now, the Good Library just opened at an interesting passage from the Book of Amos, regarding ‘A Lamentation for Israel.’ Israel has gone astray once again and the Lord in His wrath is not coming with salvation for Israel, but with complete judgement. Here, the prophet Amos is informing them of the Lord’s words. ‘For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live. But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought (nothing). 

Seek the Lord, and ye shall live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. Ye who turn judgement (justice) to wormwood, and leave off (abandon) righteousness in the earth. Seek him that maketh the seven stars (the Pleiades) and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with (as) night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name:’ (Amos 5:4-8) 

Oh friends, what an interesting passage of scripture, one that ought to remind us of our current plight, for we have also turned away from the God of our forefathers and taken up with the evildoers of Satan, and from day one, it has been said and shown that the evildoers will not survive the wrath of God’s judgement, but will be summarily destroyed in God’s time. But though we have seen it happen in the history books and the Bible, we still refuse to bow to the Lord God Almighty, our Creator and Controller in favour of the passing pleasures of sin. 

But please note the words of Amos from the Lord. I believe He is telling us the very same thing today; turn from our evil ways, ‘Seek ye me, and ye shall live.’ As the scholars explain: ‘Three times the invitation, ‘Seek ye me, and ye shall live, is given (vs. 4, 6,14). Though God’s judgement is imminent, it can be avoided, or at least postponed, by seeking the Lord. The only hope is to seek the Lord in true repentance and thus avoid the judgement of God.’ 

 And yuh know what my people, many of us are claiming that we’re living in the end times, and if that is true, then doesn’t it make all the more sense, is it not divine wisdom for us to turn away from our evil and ungodly ways and seek the Lord with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds so that we can escape His awesome wrath come the judgement day? It surely is! For as the scholars just reminded us the ONLY HOPE of avoiding severe retribution is to seek the Lord as quickly and sincerely as possible. But unfortunately many of us still insist on clinging to the evil, sinful tailcoat of Beelzebub and refuse to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. 

The evil and ungodly pleasures of this world hold more delights for us than acknowledging the Lord God Jehovah. However, please note these further words of the Lord through Amos’ lamentation to Israel. ‘For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty (many) sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right (from their right of  justice) Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and LOVE the good, and establish judgement (justice) in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.’ (Amos 5:12-15) 

Oh my fellow believers, it seems as though Amos is living amongst us today, for what he’s saying is exactly what’s happening in our world today. The injustice, the crooked deals, the evil deeds that are currently taking place as though they are natural and right outcomes is all disgusting and against the Lord’s Word. And He’s seeing it all, and because of His great LOVE for us is still warning us to turn away from evil, to seek Him, that we may live. How many times in the bible are we told to seek good and not evil eh? 

Amos says it here, and the psalmist says it thus in Psalm 97: ‘Ye that LOVE the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.’ (Ps. 97:10) Meanwhile, Bruh Paul in his letter to the church at Rome tells them in no uncertain terms. ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good….Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom. 12:9, 21) 

How many more warnings do we need before we wake up from our foolish, sinful slumber and heed them eh mih bredrin? I guess Cousin Sol could not have said it any better in his opening statements in Proverbs. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov. 1:7) And right now friends, we are behaving like those proverbial fools. Let’s hope that we wake up soon and thus avoid the justice that will befall those who don’t listen. Much LOVE!

…he who has ears to hear…let him hear… (Matt. 11:15)

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

Today’s Scrip-Bit   26 April 2024 Colossians 3:14.

26 Apr 2024 Leave a comment

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

Colossians 3:14.       And above all these things put on charity (LOVE), which is the bond of perfectness.

It’s another bright, sunshiny day, this last Friday in April! But just imagine that nuh; April is almost finished. Father Time is certainly waiting on no one, he’s running his race like there’s no tomorrow. And it would be wise if we copied his example and ran our own race as if there’s no tomorrow, for who knows how many, if any of us will be alive to see tomorrow. But be that as it may, the worldwide shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been heard around the world, and thus the weekend, plans and promises for it, has become our focus. 

And yes, the weekend is ours to enjoy, but during it, let’s not forget the most important One in our entire lives; Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, for He’s the One who enables us to get health, wealth strength, salvation and eternal life! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful ‘Thank You Jesus!’ Now, since the Lord spared our lives, meaning his mercies and compassions were new this morning, (smile) let’s keep our promise to continue talking about some of the things that the prayer yesterday from the In Touch Devotional triggered. 

And the main thing we found was LOVE, which is God’s most important attribute and has so many appealing and intriguing aspects to it. And above all it was God’s LOVE for us that caused Him to send His only begotten Son Jesus to die for us on the cross of Calvary so that our sins could be forgiven, making reconciliation possible with Him. And, as we saw yesterday, that means we need to reciprocate that LOVE as much as we can. But here are a few other things that that magnificent attribute can and does do. 

On the basic nature of LOVE, Bruh Paul writes in 1 Corinthians: ‘Charity (LOVE) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.’ (1 Cor. 13:4) In other words, ‘LOVE is patient, LOVE is kind, it is not jealous; LOVE does not brag, it is not arrogant.’ In light of that he writes thus to the Colossians: ‘And above all these things put on charity (LOVE), which is the bond of perfectness.’ (Col. 3:14) And the scholars explain that ‘LOVE is the crowning grace completing the list of virtues required for perfectness or spiritual maturity,. As a “bond” it binds all other virtues together in harmony and unity.’ 

Meanwhile, Peter says it this way: ‘And above all things have fervent charity (LOVE) among yourselves: for charity (LOVE) shall cover a multitude of sins.’ (1 Pet. 4:8) Now that’s how strong LOVE is my people, when we have it amongst each other, it can help eliminate many sins. Such as James, Jesus’ brother explains. ‘Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth (wander), and one convert him (turns him back); Let him know, that he which converteth (turns) the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide (cover) a multitude of sins.’ (James 5:19-20)  

And don’t for one moment think that the wisest one, Cousin Sol didn’t have that covered long before James and Peter came on the scene. (smile) He most certainly did, as he so rightfully warned in Proverbs: ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’ (Prov. 10:12) And it most certainly can when it prospers among us my fellow saints. But the problem though is that LOVE, sadly is not as plentiful and prosperous, neither amongst believers, or the world in general, for it to make the big difference it needs to make to set us straight and right with each other and with Almighty God. Thus the heavy price we’re currently paying as hatred, strife, anger and all the negative emotions control our world instead of LOVE. 

That brings us to this last scripture, awakened by the words of the prayer: ‘when tempers start to rise…when anger flares in people’s eyes.’ And unfortunately those words so appropriately describe the current state of our world. Ah friends, this noteworthy scripture from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians warns us: ‘Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph. 4:26-27) Yes my fellow believers, we can get angry, but not do anything to give the devil an opportunity to get into our souls, and don’t let that anger last until we go to bed, because most likely it will disturb our sleep and we’ll awaken with it still plaguing our souls and spirts. 

And let’s not fool ourselves, it’s going to take a real uphill battle, one of much sacrifice and suffering for us to replace the hatred and anger now enveloping our world with the sincere LOVE of God. But with God on our side friends, we all know we can do it. We just have to make up our minds and pull up our bootstraps and move as one body in Christ Jesus! And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace in the prayerful words of our Friday Chant. 

Altogether now: ‘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 the 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 fervently pray too 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!’ 

But please remember friends, that to gain divine help, WE must set the ball rolling by doing the things the Lord desires, like being good examples of Christian living, and turning from our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…until…and unless the LOVE for God and man…truly awakens in the breasts of men…evil will continue ruling the roost…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ

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