The Great Comfort Available From Jehovah God, through His Son, Jesus Christ!

06 Apr 2025 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 1:3.       Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and God of all comfort;

And then it was Sunday, the Lord’s Day, one filled with sunshine, worship, fellowship, thanksgiving and joy, all serving to boost our faith and renew our confidence in our great God, so that we can go out tomorrow and begin a new work week with the necessary inspiration and strength to make Him proud. And today’s song of worship is a very interesting and appropriate one for the disastrous times our world is currently facing. It’s most aptly titled ‘Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.’ 

Now, the website Godtube offers this information on the background of the hymn. ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms is a hymn published in 1887 with music by Anthony J. Showalter and lyrics by Showalter and Elisha Hoffman. Showalter had received letters from two of his former pupils informing him their wives had died and were seeking consolation. When writing them back, he was inspired by the phrase in the Book of Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy”. 

But after thinking of the verse furthermore, he decided those words would make a great theme for a hymn.  He then wrote the words for the refrain and music for the hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” But he needed help with the stanzas, so he went to see Elisha Hoffman author of over 2000 gospel hymns.  Hoffman provided the stanzas while Showalter created the refrain and music to this hymn.’ 

So, on this first Sunday morning in April, during this Lenten Season, with the miraculous events of Easter just around the corner, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a rousing, up-tempo rendition of the song, doing exactly as this commentary from the Hymnary.org website so wisely advises. ‘As the hymn is sung, contemplate what it means to find refuge in our heavenly Father’s arms in times of fear and trial, and to allow His joy and peace to replace our loneliness and anxiety.’ 

Yes friends, we’ve all had times of trouble, when we needed to turn to God for comfort and strength and lean on His everlasting arms. So, as we sing, let’s remember some of those times and allow our gratitude and thanks to flow from our hearts for those many moments of comfort we’ve so graciously and mercifully received. 

Singing: ‘What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms. (Refrain: Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.) O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim’s way, leaning on the everlasting arms; O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms. 

[Refrain] What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms, Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning on the everlasting arms…leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus… oh how good it is to be, leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ my Saviour….’ 

And yuh better believe it’s not only good to be leaning on Christ’s arms, but you’ll also understand that it’s an incomparable experience! No other sense of comfort and strength compares to that of our God. That’s why it’s one of the greatest hymns for solace. There’s nothing better than ‘leaning on the everlasting arms’ of God when seeking comfort.

As Bruh Paul so beautifully proclaims in his second letter to the Corinthians. ‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we are comforted ourselves of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:2-4) 

What powerful and encouraging verses of Scripture my fellow believers! And what I particularly like about the sentiments is that God not only comforts us, but does so in such a manner that we are also able to comfort others! Now, let’s look at a few of the many other scriptures that talk about God’s comfort and reassurance, beginning with this marvellous one from Isaiah, where he proclaims with the utmost confidence. ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.’ (Is. 26:3-4) 

Then there’s this one from Jeremiah. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see (fear) when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful (anxious) in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.’ (Jer. 17:7-8) 

Yes friends, the Lord has made many promises to comfort and care for us, but on the other hand, we must also place our sincere trust in Him if we expect the relationship to work. And I like these verses that Bruh David writes in Psalm 56, when he ran to the Philistines in Gath. He declares: ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh (mere mortals) can do unto me.’ (Ps. 56:3-4) 

Can you imagine Bruh David’s predicament, running from one enemy, Saul, only to end up in the hands of the Philistines, Israel’s constant foes. He was certainly between a rock and a hard place, but his exemplary trust and confidence in the God of his forefathers, kept him sane and confident, while in the hands of his mortal enemies. 

And we’ll close with this favourite verse from Jeremiah: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer. 29:11) Oh my people, with all those sincere and faithful promises of peace and LOVE and joy, how can we not LOVE and honour the Lord eh? We must be a foolish people, if we don’t! Much LOVE!

…the greatest source of comfort…comes from the Father of all comfort…Jehovah God…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

God’s Free Gift of Eternal Life!

16 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

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

Hebrews 9:12.        Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

And it’s surprising how quickly Wednesday shows up when Monday is a holiday. (smile) But we’ll take Wednesday any time, because it’s our second-wind opportunity day, and just like the recent few days it’s bright and sunshiny but chilly. From here on in though, for the next several months, the days will be chilly. You won’t hear me talk about a warn day unless we’re blessed to have a few days of Indian summer; that’s some warm days in the midst of autumn. 

So please dress warm from now on, because the dangerous thing about the cold weather is that it can come upon you without warning. The mid-morning hours might seem warm, but by the time you’re ready to leave work, it can be freezing. The motto; it’s better to have on too much than not enough, is one we ought to follow in the cold months. We can always take off the outer layers if we’re too warm, but you cannot put on anything when it gets cold, if you don’t have it handy. I can certainly testify to that! (smile) 

So what are we going to talk about today eh? I recently found a tract in my mother’s old Bible from the Leviticus Church in Jamaica New York, which has some very interesting information, some of which I want to share today. It seems the church is still going strong and I’m glad for that, because the demise of any church is sad news for all believers. Anyway, the title of the tract is ‘Did you know? ETERNAL LIFE IS A “FREE” GIFT.’ Now, that’s a very good question, because despite all the necessary information at hand, a lot of people still have trouble believing it, or simply have a contrary belief. 

And after that bold heading, the tract continues thus: ‘The Lord Jesus Christ paid the FULL PRICE for the salvation of your soul. He gave himself for our sins.’ And they quote Galatians 1:4a as a scripture reference to that statement. I will however expand on that, so that we can get the full context of the scripture. Bruh Paul wrote in his opening verses of the epistle to the church at Galatia: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Gal. 1:3-5) 

Now that gives us the full context of the reference. And I guess having those last words ‘He gave himself for our sins,’ highlighted is a means of driving home the truth that Jesus gave His Life for us, it wasn’t taken from Him. And He made that quite clear when He says: ‘Therefore doth my Father LOVE me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.’ (John 10:17-18) 

That ought to make it quite clear my fellow believers that Jesus was not forced to give up His life, but He did it willingly because of his great LOVE for us. And in being able to give His life then take it up again, He once again asserts His deity; that He was both God and man. Then the tract continues: ‘JESUS, the Son of God, LOVED me, and gave himself for me.’ 

And there they reference Galatians 2:20b, but I will quote the entire verse for the sake of getting the full context. Bruh Paul writes: ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of (in) the Son of God, who LOVED me, and gave himself for me.’ (Gal. 2:20) Awesome truth my people! 

And the tract goes on: ‘Now because  by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Heb. 9:12b), there remains no price for us to pay! And that’s the gospel truth. But for our information, the whole of that verse reads: ‘Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.’ (Heb. 9:12) 

Yes friends, it wasn’t the blood of any ordinary animal that paid our sin debt in full, because they could not. Only the sinless blood of the Son of God could ever achieve such a magnanimous outcome. Therefore as the tract tells us: ‘It is finished.’ That comes from this verse on Jesus’ crucifixion. ‘When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar (sour wine), he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost (His spirit, died).’ (John 19:30) 

And we’ll stop there for today, because the rest of the stuff the tract has to offer will run on too long, and in any case, we have quite enough marvellous and enlightening scripture for us to contemplate today. It’s good to contemplate and meditate on the scriptures, but I believe that too much all at once detracts from the task of contemplation and meditation, and we lose economies of scale, which says the more you try to learn at once, the less you will learn, or the more you will forget. So like in all things, lets have a modicum of circumspection, (smile) or just enough for us to do a good job. 

Now let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. As one strong and sincere 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!’ 

Now my fellow saints, if we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then He’s promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! And I sincerely hope to see you there, so that we can enjoy it together! Much LOVE!

…eternal life is free…if you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

The Amazing Comfort that God provides TO and THROUGH Us!

13 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 66:13a.        As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you:

And it’s finally Friday! Friday the 13th to boot! But that doesn’t matter in the least, for we children of Almighty God don’t believe in the old wives tales like not walking under a ladder on a Friday the 13th, or allowing a black cat to cross our paths! No we’re staunch believers in Christ Jesus who protects and guides us through His Word and His Holy Spirit. Thus we can say with all certainty and comfort: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is upon us at last! 

Then we joyfully follow that up with: ‘This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps. 118:24) And a couple other acclamations won’t hurt either. (smile) Like: ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13) Yes, that one strengthens us, but what about this other marvellous and reassuring acclamation about satisfying our needs. ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

Now that takes care of our strength and our needs, but then we have this awesome reassurance from Jeremiah in His Lamentations regarding mercy and compassion. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) 

Oh my people, what a great God we serve! But that’s not all the assurances we have, no way! Here’s the one I really want to bring home to us this beautiful, sunshiny morning of Friday the 13th of September 2024. Let’s read then these heartfelt and reassuring words on comfort from Bruh Paul in his second missive to the church at Corinth. 

He declares: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:2-4) 

Wow mih bredrin! How wonderful is that eh! The Lord comforts us in all our trials and tribulations so that we can comfort others who are also going through hardships. And that’s how the Lord ofttimes works through us: helping us with or through something, which then enables us to help others in the same boat. And here are a couple of scriptures from Isaiah that corroborate Bruh Paul’s statement, re the comfort of God. 

Isaiah writes: ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die (mortal man), and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?’ (Is. 51:12-13) 

Yes my fellow believers, our God is our eternal comfort, and we do Him and ourselves a great injustice by not appreciating and gladly accepting His amazing comfort. For hear the prophet Isaiah again, as he talks about rejoicing with Jerusalem. ‘As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you: and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb (grass): and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward (to) his servants, and his indignation toward (to) his enemies.’ (Is. 66:13-14) 

Oh, what a beautiful picture of comfort that is my people! But here’s the other side of the coin, the practical side, as Bruh Paul believes in delivering. This from his second letter to the Corinthians. ‘Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you (boasting on your behalf): I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without (outside) were fightings, within were fears. 

Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the consolation (comfort) wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me (your zeal for me); so that I rejoiced the more. For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent (regret it), though I did repent (regret it): for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season (a short while).’ (2 Cor. 7:4-8) 

Yes friends, not only was Bruh Paul comforted by the coming of his protégé Titus, but also by the news that although he had written a rather severe letter to the Corinthians re their Christian shortcomings, they had eventually agreed to his charges an repented of their shortcomings. Such is the mysterious workings and comforting of our great God my brethren! Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant seeking comfort and help in these very needy times. 

Altogether: ‘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!’ 

And may we remember that like the Corinthians in Bruh Paul’s time, our current Christian behaviour is not up to scratch, and until we improve it, we will not see any divine aid! Much LOVE!

…one of God’s many attributes…is His ability to provide…lasting and sincere comfort…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 June 2024 Ephesians 6:11.

05 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

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

Ephesians 6:11.       Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.

Well a good Wednesday morning to all you my Scrip-Bit friends and family out there in this crazy and turbulent world! And I do hope we all are handling our trials and tribulations in a calm and godly manner. Now, as Bruh Paul was won’t to greet the churches in his letters, and this particular one to those in Galatia: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age) according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Gal. 1:3-5) 

Yes friends, do we ever need the grace and peace of our Triune God if we’re to successfully navigate this evil and lawless world. And if Bruh Paul thought his time was bad and evil, he should be living now, when we’ve developed evil to a high science. And the only way to navigate this evil world successfully is as Bruh Paul writes to the Ephesians. ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph. 6:11) 

Oh my brethren, if we’re not fully clothed in the Lord’s armour, then we don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of rebuking the enemy. Let’s understand that from the get-go. ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts) of wickedness in high places.’ (Eph. 6:12) That means we’re not fighting a physical but spiritual battle, against forces of spiritual wickedness: ‘Wherefore take unto you (take up, put on) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph. 6:13) 

Ah mih people, it’s a tough fight in which we’re involved, one to the death, for the enemy is not going to give any leeway, neither should we. And we can’t do that, we can’t stand our ground, without being fully clothed in God’s armour. The scholars explain that last verse thus: ‘Wherefore means “because of this,”  that is, because we face such a formidable foe, we must avail ourselves of God’s provision lest the enemy destroy our Christian witness and ministry.  The evil day refers to the periodic demonic onslaughts and Satanic assaults. Having done all includes both dressing oneself in God’s armour and resisting Satan. Having done all these, be ready, for the devil will attack again and again.’ 

That reminds us of this scripture from Luke after the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness. ‘And when the devil had ended all the temptation (testing), he departed from him for a season (until an opportune time.’ (Luke 4:13) Yes mih bredrin, the devil never quits. If you successfully resist for a time, then he will go away, but be sure that once you’re breathing God’s breath of life, he will surely come back at a later date, with more evil schemes to test you. That’s why we have to stay always dressed in that protective armour of God. And what’s this protective armour you ask? 

Well let’s refresh our memories. And to help us better understand Bruh Paul’s words, I have embedded some of the scholars’ explanations in the verses. He writes: ‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth; (or your waist girded with a knowledge of the truth of God’s word), and having on the breastplate of righteousness (that’s a holy character and moral conduct. Obedience to the “truth” known produces a godly life (righteousness). And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (that’s eagerness that comes from the gospel of peace, or a willingness to advance against the enemy and take the fight to him. The gospel gives peace to the believer freeing him from anxiety, though he advances against a powerful opponent). 

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (one). (And that shield of (which is) faith means taking God at His word by believing His promises. Such trust will protect one from doubts induced by Satan.) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (This helmet is the hope of salvation, the certainty (assurance) of salvation. And the sword of the Spirit is God’s word, possibly referring not to the whole Word of God, but to certain portions or selected verses of scripture). Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for the saints.’ (Eph. 6:14-18) 

Oh my people, those first six parts of armour are important to keep us from the devil’s evil schemes, but they are of no use without the mammoth assistance of prayer. As the scholars say: ‘Without prayer God’s armour is inadequate to achieve victory. Prayer is indispensable. Always means on every occasion that Satan attacks. In the Spirit signifies that with the Spirit’s help such prayer for divine aid is to be made. Watching thereunto means “being vigilant in this very matter” of prayer. They are to pray not just for themselves but for all saints; spiritual combat is both an individual and corporate matter.’ 

Oh my fellow saints, let’s hope that that revision of how to protect ourselves from the evil schemes and temptations of Satan are timely, and that we renew our vigilance and understanding of God’s armour, of His provision for our protection, and that we faithfully put it on and stand. Yes, that we stand strong against the evil forces of this world of darkness. And for those of us who are sincerely trying to do that, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

As one strong and sincere 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 if we endure with Christ to the very end, then it’s been promised that that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So please, let’s be wise and plan to meet at the very end and enjoy that more than glorious future nuh! Much LOVE!

…no soldier goes into battle without the proper protective armour…neither should Christians…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 January 2024 John 13:35.

10 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

John 13:35.       By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.

Oh my Scrip-Bit friends and family, on this damp and  cloudy Wednesday morning, I’d like to greet you the same way Bruh Paul greeted the faithful in Galatia: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Gal. 1:3-5) And I do hope that the Lord God Jehovah does grant all of us the great amount of grace and peace that we need in this very evil world, to successfully live the abundant live that Christ died for us to have. Let’s believe for it, because Christ promised that anything we prayed for in the Father’s will, will be granted. 

Now the weather forecasters were right about yesterday; we did get the rain in the evening after the snow. (smile) Thankfully though, it washed away most of the snow, but now it’s wet and somewhat treacherous, with possible ice patches lurking dangerously out there. So if you go out, please be careful. And today I want to share an interesting and very appropriate poem. I’m not sure if I’ve shared it before, but whatever I share are always good enough to be shared again and again. (smile) 

And the poem is simply titled, ‘Your Poem.’ It’s author is one Georgia Douglas Johnson, and please don’t ask me where I got it, because I don’t remember. (smile) Just believe that it’s good and very apropos to our current situation. So, please read with me. ‘Your world is as big as you make it, I know, For I used to abide in the narrowest nest in a corner, my wings pressed close to my side. But I sighted the distant horizon, where the skyline encompassed the sea, and throbbed with a burning desire to travel this immensity. I battered the cordons around me, and cradled my wings on the breeze, Then soared to the utterless reaches, with rapture, with power, with ease.’ 

Oh my people, that reminds me of plenty of us believers. We stay clustered and cloistered in our narrow corners without making an effort to see the beautiful world that God has provided for us. And by doing so, we miss all that He’s made for us to enjoy, plus we don’t get to share the joy, peace and LOVE that comes from knowing Him. Remember we’re ambassadors of Christ, meant to be light in a darkened world, and salt in a flavourless universe, and we cannot be those things if we just sit in a corner and hide from the world. Even worse, sit in a corner and allow Satan to tie us up in bonds of lies, deceit and evil doings. 

No friends, to be a true follower of Jesus, and spread His gospel around the world, we have to break loose from the bondage of Beelzebub and fly away to wherever we can perform the tasks our Lord and Saviour requires of us. And Jesus will indeed help us to break free from those bonds if we sincerely ask Him, and are willing to do the things necessary to separate ourselves from the enslavement of the enemy. Yes, like the bird in the poem, we need to batter the cordons of sin and worldly desires that entangle us, for it’s only when we are serious about Jesus that we can ever break free and thus cradle our wings on the breeze, and soar to the uttermost parts, ‘with rapture, with power, and with ease.’  

And does that soaring with rapture, power and ease ever feel good! It’s like a new life…in fact, it is a new life; one where Jesus calls the shots, as we surrender our all to Him, who is as trustworthy as the day follows the night. Remember my fellow believers that this is the year 2024, the year we break free from all that’s holding us back from pursuing Christ’s LOVE Revolution, by spreading the good news of His gospel through our coming together as ONE, breaking down all the petty and foolish barriers we have built up between us, and sincerely following His dictates, so that the world can know about Him, and come to know and LOVE Him like we do. 

These words of Christ paint the picture that He expects to see us paint in this world. First off He instructs us: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That’s where it all begins my people; allowing God to be our Number One priority. That entails knowing and keeping the two great commandments: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, an with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) 

Then we have Jesus breaking it down to this: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) But sadly though, too many Christians don’t have any LOVE for each other, possibly due to several reasons, the biggest being the many denominations in Christianity, with the many petty differences that separate us, and thus allows the devil to divide and conquer us quite easily. 

Remember friends, Christ’s church is supposed to be ONE BODY, not several little bodies divided against each other. That means before we can make a difference in the world, we have to make a difference in our relationship to each other, that is come together as ONE, with LOVE for each other! Otherwise the unbelievers won’t listen to us. Note how many are turning away from God because we don’t exhibit the attributes that Christians ought to exhibit. So please, for Jesus’ sake, the One who sacrificed so much for us, let’s get together nuh and make a good world for our children’s children. 

Now, it time to go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail letting the whole world know of our magnificent, unassailable position in Christ Jesus! 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 if we endure right down to the very end with Jesus, we’ll enjoy a future even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s be wise and  make plans to meet there at the very end nuh! Much LOVE!

…the first step in the LOVE Revolution must be….Christians LOVING each other… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   1 May 2022 Genesis 1:1.

01 May 2022 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 1:1.      In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Prologue: Just in case you are wondering, it was indeed sunny when I began writing the Bit, but I had to take a break to fix a small personal problem, and by the time I came back to it, the weather had changed. Chuh! It’s been so temperamental lately. So the beginning was indeed true at the time of writing, though it might not be so at the end. (smile)    

Warm and wonderful greetings to you, my fellow believers in Christ Jesus on this beautiful Sunday morning, the first day of May in this controversial year of 2022! There could not be a better time to get together and worship our marvellous God. And as Bruh Paul said it in his letter to the church at Galatia: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according to the will of God and our Father. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’  (Gal. 1:3-5) 

What a stirring greeting of truth my brethren! And this morning I want us all to receive it, to receive that awesome grace and peace that flows from our God. Yes, that’s how great a Godhead we serve and worship! And to honour Him on this His Holy day, the second Sunday after His triumphant resurrection at Easter, we will open with this most appropriate hymn titled ‘How Great Thou Art.’ And our God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, surely is great! There’s absolutely no doubt about that, because He’s proven it in spades right down through the ages. 

So, let’s offer up sincere sacrifices of praise, in a bold, joyful, scintillating, up-tempo version of this stirring song of truth. Let the joy flow from our hearts as the words flow from our mouths, so that our magnificent God, Creator and Saviour can know that we truly adore, LOVE and worship Him…and NO OTHER. 

As a great earthly choir then, let’s sing: ‘O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder Consider all The works Thy Hand hath made, I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy pow’r throughout The universe displayed, (Chorus: Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art!) When through the woods And forest glades I wander I hear the birds Sing sweetly in the trees, When I look down From lofty mountain grandeur And hear the brook And feel the gentle breeze, (Chorus:) 

And when I think, that God His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing He bled and died, to take away my sin. (Chorus:) When Christ shall come, With shouts of acclamation, And take me home, What joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow In humble adoration And there proclaim, “My God, how great Thou art!” (Chorus: Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art! How great Thou art!’ 

Magnificent friends! That was just magnificent! Now there is no doubt in heaven about how we feel towards our God! There just couldn’t be after such a heartfelt sacrifice of praise! And now for some scripture to back up our claim that our God is great, and greatly to be worshipped. And there is none better to begin with than this one that opens God’s Word, the Bible. It says in all simplicity and truth: ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ (Gen. 1:1) 

Wow! That says it all friends! Everything after that is merely icing on the cake! (smile) Like these marvellous and truthful words of Bruh David, where in thanksgiving and praise he sincerely declares: ‘Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as the head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.’ (1 Chr. 29:11-13) 

What awesome words of indisputable truth my people! Yes, Bruh David knew exactly what he was talking about, because he personally felt God’s power and might, His honour, wealth, strength and chastening too. (smile) 

Then there are these famous words of another great man of God; the prophet Isaiah, where he confidently proclaims: ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:28-31) 

O mercy, mercy me! Yes, my fellow saints, who else but our great and powerful God can do those awesome deeds eh? NONE but the true and living God we worship! And again, Isaiah was not speaking from hearsay, but from personal experience. He too felt the awesome power and Spirit of God work miracles in his life and lifetime! 

Oh my people, there are so many scriptures that emphasize the greatness of our God, that I’m at a loss as to which ones to choose. (smile) But it certainly would not be right if we didn’t include a few from the Psalms, where the people of God really opened their hearts and minds to his praise and glory. So listen up to these wonderful words from the Psalms. 

Ethan the Ezrahite loudly proclaims in Psalm 89 – God’s sure promises to David. ‘For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had (held) in reverence of all them that are about him. O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? …The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them.’ (Ps. 89:6-8, 11) It’s all gospel truth friends! 

Meanwhile Bruh David said it thus in Psalm 24 – The king of glory. ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the floods (rivers)…Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.’ (Ps. 24: 1-2, 7-8) 

Yes my faithful brethren, it’s time for us to lift up our heads, hearts and souls and allow the King of glory to enter therein! Much LOVE!

…with man, many things are not possible…but with God…ALL things are possible… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 May 2021 Matthew 21:42a.

23 May 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 21:42a.     ​Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner (the chief cornerstone):

It’s Sunday friends! The Lord’s Day, the best day of the week; the day on which we get together to sing and dance and give thanks and praise for His everlasting goodness to the children of men! And I like how Bruh Paul greeted the Galatians as they were beginning to backslide, listening to the Judaizers false doctrine. ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according to the will of God and our Father. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Gal. 1:3-5) 

Yes my brethren, Jesus most certainly gave Himself, or sacrificed His sinless body and soul at the Father’s behest, so that we could be set free from the bondage of sin. And please note that He, and He alone could have done it! No one else but the Son of God had what it took, mainly a sinless persona. And that’s why our song of praise and thanksgiving today is so important in the Christian life. It is most appropriately titled ‘The Church’s One Foundation.’ And who else could that be but Jesus Christ eh? 

It’s a hymn written by Samuel John Stone in the 1860’s. And the website Godtube tells us: ‘This hymn describes the church’s relationship to its “foundation” being Jesus Christ. The church is represented as the collective Christian fellowship of the earth as it is wholly united by its Saviour, the Son of God.’ And so it should be! Now let’s sing a rousing version, making sure that both heaven and earth understand how blessed, joyful and grateful we are, because the words come sincerely from our hearts. 

So as one harmonious voice: ‘The Church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord, She is His new creation By water and the Word: From Heav’n He came and sought her To be His holy bride, With His own blood He bought her And for her life He died. – She is from every nation, Yet one o’er all the earth; Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued. -The Church shall never perish! Her dear Lord to defend, To guide, sustain, and cherish, Is with her to the end: 

Though there be those who hate her, And false sons in her pale, Against both foe and traitor She ever shall prevail. – Though with a scornful wonder Men see her sore oppressed, By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed: Yet saints their watch are keeping, Their cry goes up, How long? And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song! – ’Mid toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war, She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore; Till, with the vision glorious, Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest! – 

Yet she on earth hath union With God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won, With all her sons and daughters Who, by the Master’s hand Led through the deathly waters, Repose in Eden land. O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we Like them, the meek and lowly, On high may dwell with Thee: There, past the border mountains, Where in sweet vales the Bride With Thee by living fountains Forever shall abide!’ 

Yes friends, Christ bought the Church, paid for her with His own precious blood, and is the sole foundation on which it’s built! As He so poignantly pointed out to His listeners in Matthew, quoting Psalm 118:22-23: ‘Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner (the chief cornerstone): This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.’ (Matt. 21:42) 

Oh my people, from the very beginning the Lord had planned to have His Son redeem mankind and be the very foundation stone on which the new kingdom was laid. But you know how it was back then, the chief cornerstone was the most important stone in the entire building because it bore the majority of the load, so it had to be very special, sturdy and strong. And no stone the builders refused could ever become the cornerstone of a building. 

However, with Jesus it was different. The people of His time rejected Him, but nonetheless, He became the chief cornerstone of the Christian Church! Glory be my fellow saints! Our great God does move in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform! But as we know, everything that man touches, he sullies and or destroys. Now Christ’s church has not been any different, for all down through the ages, even to this day, it has been rife with dissension and controversy, and constantly threatened by false doctrine. 

And unfortunately, according to the website Godtube: “The Church’s One Foundation” was composed as a primary answer to the division within the Church of South Africa generated by John William Colenso, first Bishop of Natal, who denounced much of the Bible as untrue. This issue is referenced to within the fourth verse of the lyrics “Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed.” 

When Bishop Colenso was dismissed for his teachings, he pleaded to the higher religious authorities in England. It was then that Samuel Stone became included in the discussion. It sparked him to draft a set of hymns based on the Apostles’ Creed in 1866. He titled it, Lyra Fidelium; Twelve Hymns on the Twelve Articles of the Apostles’ Creed. “The Church’s One Foundation” is based on the ninth article, The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints. Music by Samuel Sebastian Wesley 1810-1876.’ 

Ah Lord eh! What won’t mankind do to get rid of Christ and His church eh! But yuh know what, despite all the isms and schisms, the false doctrines and petty dissensions, the separations and many different religions, Christ’s church is still going strong today, and nothing is ever going to break it up. And when He comes back for His own, which could be very soon, then the whole situation will be made right, because the true foundation, the majestic and magnificent cornerstone will solidly anchor His church in the bedrock of His shed blood! 

So my fellow saints, let’s not forget to keep careful watch, knowing that our ‘night of weeping shall be the morn of song;’ and that ‘the consummation of peace forevermore’ is close at hand… ‘and the great church victorious, shall be the church at rest.’ Have faith and stand strong my brethren, our troubles will soon be over, for the last trump will sound and Christ will appear on the horizon in full glory, to take us home!Much LOVE!

…the earth and all therein may perish…but the church of Christ NEVER WILL…                                                    

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 February 2021 2 Corinthians 1:3.

18 Feb 2021 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 1:3.     ​Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies (compassion), and the God of ALL COMFORT.

A good Thursday morning to all you my faithful Scrip-Bit friends and family! As Bruh Paul would put it: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2. Cor. 1:2) Yes my brethren, it’s through the grace, peace and mercy of God that we are alive today! So let’s be thankful for it nuh, regardless of whatever problems we are currently undergoing, for our God is big enough, great enough and LOVING enough to get us through them safely, and even grow us spiritually while we’re undergoing the adversity. 

And Bruh Paul continues thus:; ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies (compassion), and the God of ALL COMFORT.’ (2 Cor. 1:3) And that’s an indisputable fact my people! Our God is the Father of Comfort. There’s no one as comforting as Him. He is characterized by mercy and compassion. Bruh David describes it like this in Psalm 86. ‘For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.’ (Ps. 86:5) 

Meanwhile Daniel declared: ‘To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him.’ (Dan. 9:9) And just for argument sake (smile) hear how Micah describes it. ‘Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by (over) the transgression of the remnant pf his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy (LOVING-kindness, compassion) (Mic. 7:18) Now that should convince us that one of our God’s many characteristics is compassion. 

And if it doesn’t, then just check out all the scriptures where those needing comfort cried out to Him and He comforted them. The psalmist said: ‘In the multitude of my (anxious) thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.’ (Ps. 94:19) Yes friends, even when anxious thoughts conflict and bombard us, the comforting presence of our God is there to deflect them. Bruh David reminds us in Psalm 34. ‘The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh (near) unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (crushed in spirit). Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.’ (Ps. 34:16-19) 

Oh my people, these are indeed rough and unprecedented times for most of us, and we all have fears and anxious thoughts, but the best place to take them, as with everything else in this life, is to the God who made us, knows us better than we know ourselves and still cares for us with a LOVE beyond compare. We live in a sinful and evil world, therefore troubles and adversity must come against us, most devastatingly at times when least expect them. But God is ALWAYS there for us, if we cry out to Him. Jesus said very plainly: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) 

Oh friends, I know that isn’t always easy to do, and no doubt the pain will hurt, possibly for some time too, but the Lord has a purpose for everything He allows in our lives. We may not know or understand it, but that’s why He is God. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, for He is the Creator and we are the created. Yes, I know you don’t want to hear about pain and suffering and reasons for them etc. etc., but that is all a part of the Christian life. However, getting back to the comforting aspect, hear how Bruh Paul continues his epistle to the church at Corinth, after telling them that our God is the God of all comfort. 

‘Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:4) Glory be mih people! What a magnificent and thoughtful God we serve! Wow! He comforts us so that we can use that same godly and divine comfort to comfort our fellow human beings! Now isn’t that very thoughtful of Him? It surely is! Now just a few more scriptures to cement the fact (smile) that our God is indeed the God of all comfort. 

Hear Isaiah as he talks about the faithful being comforted. ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a (mortal) man that shall die, and the son of man which shall be made as grass?’ (Is. 51:12) Good question that friends. Please think on it. And from Psalm 119 comes this verse. ‘Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.’ (Ps. 119:76) And the amplified version of that is: ‘May your unfailing LOVE be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.’ 

Meanwhile, Bruh David says it simply and heartfelt like no one else besides Jesus can. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps. 23:4) Yes my faithful saints in Christ, our God is always near and always ready to comfort us in times of trouble, but we need to cry out to him, come to Him with our tears and prayers. And there’s no better invitation in all the world than this one made by Jesus so long ago and is still in effect. 

‘Come unto me, all ye that are labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of (from) me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (gentle and humble): and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt. 11:28-30) That is as simple and explicit as it can get my brethren. So the rest is up to us. We can only comfort or help ourselves so much, likewise our fellow man, but the God of ALL COMFORT can do a much better job than us. So let’s wisely turn to Him in these dark and tremulous times nuh. 

Now, for those of us whom He has comforted and given us the opportunity and tools to comfort others, let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings, exulting with thanksgiving, for the wonderful tools He’s bestowed on us. Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

Now let’s use those blessings to uplift ourselves and others in Christ’s name nuh! Much LOVE!

…comfort ye oh my people…comfort ye…says our God… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 November 2020 2 Corinthians 1:3.

18 Nov 2020 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 1:3.     ​Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort,

Aye mih people in my area, I think the time has finally come for us to begin experiencing that small white, cold, fluffy substance called snow! (smile) Yes, it’s all a part of living in the northern climes, but yet still when we see it for the first time in a year, it still astonishes us, although we’ve been expecting it all along. So I saw some of the wet stuff yesterday on my way out the street, and this morning I saw some flakes gently dawdling down from the cloudy sky. Don’t think there’s any risk of the real hard stuff falling right now, but just giving us a heads up, because it will come hard and fast eventually. (smile) 

But yuh know what? When it comes we don’t have to worry because we have been assured by our heavenly Father of His awesome comfort and mercy in whatever adversity comes against us. Wow! What a magnificent and magnanimous Deity we serve my brethren! Hear how Bruh Paul puts it to the church at Corinth nuh. 

‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor, 1:3-4) Oh my fellow saints in Christ, isn’t our God wonderful? He surely is! Comforting us in our troubles so that we can comfort others in theirs. 

And I just want to add a note from the scholars. ‘1:3-4. Blessed (Gr. eulogetos, “well spoken of”) is used in the New Testament of God, (e.g., Eph. 1:3). It is a term of adoration and praise. The Father of mercies: The mercies in view here include everything from deliverance from the world, sin, and Satan, to participation in sonship, light, and life. But the force is even more than this. The stress is that the Father is characterized by mercy (cf. Ps. 86:5: Dan. 9:9, Mic. 7:18).’ 

Oh friends, until we fully realize that one of our God’s greatest attributes is His merciful character, we will never fully understand and appreciate how great a God He is! It all begins with His unconditional LOVE, where He simply cannot disregard His most wonderful creation. That then leads Him to be merciful unto us, with forgiveness and redemption and reconciliation through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, all of it is a free gift through His awesome grace! Now after all of that mercy and grace, undeserved goodness and favour, how can we not bless, adore and praise Him eh? 

Hear how Bruh David says it in Psalm 86 – Teach me thy way, O Lord. ‘For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto them that call upon thee. (Ps. 86:5) But it’s all important that we acknowledge the last aspect of Bruh David’s words there: ‘them that call upon thee.’ We do need to sincerely call upon God to receive His blessings and mercies. 

And as Bruh Paul said to the church at Ephesus: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.’ (Eph. 1:3) Yes friends, our Lord is indeed worthy of much praise because He has bestowed so many heavenly blessings on us through Christ. Things like our citizenship (Phil. 3:20), our high priest (Heb. 4:14), our hope (Col. 1:5), our inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4) our treasure (Matt. 6:20-21). So there is much to be thankful for through Christ. 

But getting back to our major point of comfort from God, let’s hear some relevant scriptures nuh. And the prophet Isaiah had a lot to say about it. In talking about the comfort of the faithful, he says on God’s behalf: ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die (a mortal man), and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgetteh the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready (as when preparing) to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?’ (Is. 51:12-13) 

Yes my people, down through the ages we have indeed feared man rather than God, but please remember these momentous words of Jesus: ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ And the only person who can do that is God Almighty, so it’s about time we learn to fear Him, rather than mankind which shall perish as the grass in the noonday sun. 

And now this last word on comfort from our Lord God, as spoken through His prophet, Isaiah on the future hope of Zion: ‘As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb (grass): and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward (to) his servants, and his indignation toward (to) his enemies.’ (Is. 66:13-14) 

Oh precious people of God, our heavenly Father has done so much to relieve us of fear, anxiety and tension through the fulfilled promises of His word, I don’t see how we can still be so fearful and anxious about life nuh. From the day He created the world and its life, right through to the day He promises to destroy it, He has ensured safety for those who belief in and look to Him for help and succour. He even sacrificed His only son Jesus for us, so I don’t know what more He needs to or can do to make us believe in Him. 

So the ball is in our court; each of us has to make that fateful decision; to believe, or not to believe. And just a li’l tip, the smart money is on believing. Now for those of us who have chosen the wise way, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the world know of our most wonderful position in Almighty God and His most wonderful Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

In strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘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 remember, we’re guaranteed that if we endure until the end, our future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine!Much LOVE!

…the comfort of man…begins in the bosom of God… 

Today​’s Scrip-Bit 18 March 2019 2 Corinthians 1:4.

18 Mar 2019 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 1:4.   Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Oh my friends and Scrip-Bit family members, in the immortal and reassuring words of Bruh Paul to the Galatians, I greet you similarly this Monday morning: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according to the will of God, and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever.’ (Gal.1:3-5) 

Ah mih people, he say’s so much in just one mouthful. But we need to remember those very basic but oh so fundamental facts of our faith if we are to grow strong and mature in it from glory to glory. But I know that some of us are shaking it somewhat rough this morning, especially those who have just come back from a March Break vacation in some warm, exotic locale and now have to immediately go back to work in the cold weather. But that’s life! 

Remember that Jesus said we’d surely face adversity in this world, but we ought to be cheerful about it, because He had already overcome the world. (John 16:33) Yes, He has indeed defeated hell, death and grave, but it’s not always easy to just grin and bear our adversity, that’s why we have antidotes for times like this one, it’s called our Monday Morning Battle Hymn! And for it to help us we have to declare (right ho) it together in all sincerity and humility. 

So let’s send our heartfelt prayers up to heaven nuh, as one strong, unified and harmonious voice. ‘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!’ 

And we know our prayer was heard and answered by our wonderful heavenly Father because we can already feel our spirits lifting and the adrenaline beginning to flow through our mortal bodies as his Holy Spirit works its miracle powers in our souls! Praise His holy and faithful name my people! 

That brings us to some more of Bruh Paul’s memorable words, this time to the Corinthians: ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor.1:3-4) 

Mama Yo! What a wonderful God we serve and worship my brethren! And the scholars offer this explanation. ‘1:3-4. Blessed (Gr. eulogetos –well spoken of) is used in the New Testament of God (e.g. Eph.1:3). It is a term of adoration and praise. The Father of mercies: The mercies in view here include everything here from deliverance from the world, sin, and Satan, to participation in sonship, light and life. But the force is even more than this. The stress is that the Father is characterized by mercy (cf. Ps. 86:5; Dan.9:9; Mic.7:18).’  

Yes friends, those mercies of the Father run the whole gamut of our human and spiritual existence in both the now and the hereafter! That’s what makes Him such a wonderful Deity; He has provided for us in all situations! We don’t have to worry about a thing; just believe sincerely in His Son and be obedient to His will! And I strongly advise you all to take a moment and look up those scriptures suggested by the scholars. I just did, and they are indeed beautiful and useful ones. 

But my favourite of those two verses is our Bit. Bruh Paul says that our God is also the God of all comfort, and I like how He uses that attribute; to comfort us, so that we can also comfort others who are facing adversity. Chuh! What a wonderful plan! Only our God could think up something like that! (smile) 

And the prophet Isaiah says it thus of our God when proclaiming that the faithful will be comforted. ‘I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a (mortal) man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.’ (Is.51:12) And again, when talking about Zion’s future hope, Isaiah reminds us that God will not forsake us, but ‘As one when his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.’ (Is.66:13) 

Ah my fellow believers in Jesus Christ, there’s not much more for me to say because the scripture says it all! So let’s be wise and faithful and look to God for mercy and comfort nuh, so that we can share them with others, as He so desperately desires of us in these sad and woeful times. That’s Christianity 101! (smile)Much LOVE!

…from our heavenly Father comes…all that we have…and all that we are…so to whom then should we pay reverential homage…