Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 November 2015 1 John 5:21‏‏

25 Nov 2015 Leave a comment

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

1 John 5:21.    Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Oh Friends, I don’t know how I’m going to do this nuh, most likely very slowly, but the Bit has to go out come rain, sleet or snow. (smile) 

The long and short of the story is that I went into the concrete jungle (Toronto) yesterday, on my birthday, no less, to have a procedure done on my ‘arthritically’ challenged right shoulder. 

Now everything went okay, I took the bus and the train like the last time I ventured into the city.There was some pain in the shoulder, but nothing to worry about. 

However later on in the night when the local anesthetic had worn off… oh brother, did that shoulder ever give me beans! The good-looking, young, white female doctor that did the procedure did say that I might have some discomfort. 

Hn! But this was certainly much more than discomfort. I couldn’t move it to do anything without an agonizing pain coursing through my body. Even at rest the shoulder was still pulsing and throbbing. And when I did go to bed, sometime after 2 a.m….Hn!…it was pure agony. 

I just couldn’t find a comfortable place to rest my arm. Every time I thought I’d found one, a couple seconds later, the pain flared up. And believe me Friends, I have a decent pain threshold, but this pain is something else. 

I’m chuckling here now, because when I make a mistake, I just back up and type over again, because going up to the mouse to correct it is not a treat. Surprisingly though, I can move my fingers over the keyboard okay, but moving my arm away from my body is another story. 

Anyway, when I finally realized the enormity of the situation, I took a pain killer, but it obviously wasn’t enough, because a couple hours later I had to come downstairs and get a couple more, and shortly after five the constant throbbing and pulsing eventually eased up. 

But moving my hand was still painful. And believe me, I knew that that too would pass, and that the Lord wouldn’t give me more than I could bare, but it was so agonizing and temperamental that I eventually cried our for solace from our heavenly Father. I guess between Him and the painkillers they finally worked. I couldn’t even walk and allow my arm to swing, I had to keep it anchored to my leg. 

Thankfully, the worse seems to be over now, though I still have a hard time moving the old arm. Glory to God! Ohhh! I just went to the mouse and the pain shook me up. But I can only grin and bear it.So you can see the kind of birthday I had. (smile) 

Anyway, enough about my problems. It’s Wednesday, that means it’s time for our Wednesday Wail. So let’s wail nuh, enthusiastically and convincingly. All together now: ‘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!’ 

Yeh mih people, in spite of the excruciating pain, I am glad to be alive this Wednesday morning, just looking forward to a glorious future with Jesus. I do hope that you are too, because there’s nothing as rewarding as hanging out with Jesus in this earthly life. 

But to do that successfully, we have to do what our Bit says. ‘Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.’ Now that in general is an enormous task, but even more so in our society of plenty eye candy and sinful stuff, that calls out to our fleshly nature. 

Here’s how Jeremiah said it in his prophecy against Babylon. ‘A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up; for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon (insane with) their idols.’ (Jer.50:38) 

Oh Friends, Jeremiah could have been talking about us, because we are indeed a land of graven images and very insane with our idols. A good example of that is the pedestal on which we’ve put our cell-phones and other new technological toys. 

Too many people just can’t operate without them. They have to be constantly checking this and checking that, from one social media site to another. I doubt the Lord is taking very kindly to this explosion of technological idolatry in which we’re currently engaging. 

Oh yes, they do have a very useful purpose, but when you can’t do or live without them for even a few minutes, then you are crossing the line. 

And we’ll end with some wise words from Bruh David in his psalm of thanksgiving: ‘Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared (held in reverential awe) above all gods. 

For all the gods of the people are idols (worthless things): but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.’ (1 Chr.16:23-29) 

Yes Friends, that is exactly what we need to do in this godless, extremely sinful and idolatrous society we’re currently living in. And unfortunately, until we return to genuinely worshipping Almighty God, the Creator and Controller of the universe, the society will just keep going downhill. 

So my fellow believers, let’s ramp up our efforts to stop the idolatry and sinfulness in whatever way we can nuh, for it is our bounden duty to do so, and we haven’t been doing such a good job, that’s partly why it’s as bad as it is. Much LOVE!

…only by seriously meditating on God’s word…and obeying His commandments…can our society return to prosperity and success…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 November 2014 Psalm 145:4

16 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 145:4.   One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

So my fellow believers, it’s Sunday; the Lord’s Special Day! And I do hope that you are seriously considering going to His sanctuary to fellowship, worship, praise and give sincere thanks with other believers in acknowledgement of God’s never-ending mercy, forgiveness and LOVING-kindness!

But if for some genuine reason you can’t go to the sanctuary – simple laziness doesn’t count – (smile) then let the sanctuary come to you, through worship on the radio or the television. But please, do get in some heartfelt praise and thanksgiving today, keep the Lord’s Day holy, as He desires.

And after reading the poem ‘I Praise You’ from the One Year Book of Bible Promises, I was greatly enthused, because it fit the Lord’s Sabbath perfectly. Please say it with me in a sincere and worshipful manner.

‘I praise You, my Lord! I praise You for all things: For this very moment  For future days  For the past  Often so reckless On my part So filled with Foolish Fantasies. But so gracious On your part  So LOVING  And so totally forgiving. I praise you.’

Wow Friends, what a most appropriate prayer for today…and any day!

And the biblical promise for that comes from Psalm 145, Bruh David’s exaltation –The Lord is gracious. ‘I will extol (praise) thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day I will bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding).’ (Ps.145:1-3)

And that, my people, segues very nicely into the next verse, our Bit. ‘One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.’

Oh Friends, that recounting of God’s great works and His wonderful attributes are of immense importance, totally essential in the lives of all believers and Christ’s church, for that’s the only way God will be remembered and recalled and worshipped and glorified down through the ages!

And that is one of the things Moses tried to drill into the heads of the stubborn and recalcitrant Israelites during their journey through the wilderness, en route to the Promised Land.

In reminding them of the Ten Commandments, he warns: ‘And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.’ (Deut.6:6-9)

Yes Friends, that’s how important the Word of the Lord is!

Then in Isaiah, re King Hezekiah’s sickness and healing, the king cries out to God. ‘For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.’ (Is.38:18-20)

Yes my fellow believers, worshipping and serving Jehovah God is a most important matter, or rather THE most important matter in our earthly lives! And as Hezekiah reasons with the Lord, re saving him from death, it is only while God’s breath of life is flowing through our mortal bodies that we can praise Him and make known His mighty works to our offspring.

Unfortunately though, our generation has made a mess, a mockery of that commandment! We haven’t followed it as purposefully and diligently as we should have. That is why today we have a young generation that knows precious little about the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and consequently has little time or place in their lives for Him. Instead, the lustful and evil world is their oyster.

But let’s remember that while there is life, there is ALWAYS hope. So let’s try and inculcate some sense and semblance of God into our children, starting right now nuh. It’s not too late. And in any case, it behoves us to try and rectify our serious wrong; the fact that we did not teach them properly about Jehovah God.

And the wonderful thing about it all is that God, even at this late stage, will help us do it. He will direct us; give us the wherewithal, as we sincerely try to teach our children about Him. He will never discourage those who try to spread His Word. Much LOVE!

…what better day to teach our offspring about God…than on the  Sabbath…the Lord’s special day…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 November 2013 Psalm 113:1

23 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 113:1.    Praise ye the Lord (sing Hallelujah). Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s been in a rut for the past forty five minutes or so, looking for a Bit that he could get his mind around. Brother! I sure have been spoiled these last few days dealing with the promises of father Abraham, since I didn’t have to seek out something new to write on everyday.

 
Oh, I knew what I wanted to write about, but unfortunately the mental juices just weren’t flowing in that direction. And you know how sometimes we refuse to let an idea go, although it’s just not working for us. What is the saying, something like kicking a dead horse? Well that was my dilemma.
 
Possibly the Lord didn’t want me to write on that topic today. Who knows eh, with Him and His mysterious ways? However, I always had hope. My faith might not be as great as Abraham’s, but it’s strong enough to sustain me in times of need. Furthermore, the Lord’s never let me down before in all my struggles, so why should He now eh? I always knew that He would eventually lead me to something that pleased Him.
 
And that’s exactly what we have here from Psalm 113; God’s mercies are many. And indeed they are my people! So let’s get into our Bit, and do just as it says: ‘Praise ye the Lord (sing Hallelujah). Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.’
 
Yes my brethren, the Lord’s name is indeed great and greatly to be praised! And as the psalmist continues: ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.’ (Ps.113:2-3)
 
And for those of you who work nights and sleep days and don’t see the sun, we can change that to: ‘from the rising of the moon to the going down of the same.’ (smile) But whatever time you are awake, the Lord’s name ought to be praised my brethren. And why is that you ask? Simple; because He’s great!
 
‘The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth!’ (Ps.113:4-6)
 
And Friends, we all know the answer to both those questions is a plain and simple NOBODY!
 
And we ought also to praise Almighty God because He sincerely cares for the poor and needy. ‘He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill (the ash heap); That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh (causes) the barren (childless) woman to keep house (dwell in a home), and to be the mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.’ (Ps.113:7-9)
 
Ah mih people, those are certainly most excellent reasons to praise our omnipotent, forgiving and merciful God! And if you want some more reasons, then listen to Daniel after the Lord revealed the secret of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to him.
 
‘Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings and setteth up (raises up) kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge unto them that know (have) understanding:
 
He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.’ (Dan.2:20-23)
 
Oh Friends, how many more reasons do we need for praising our great God eh? He’s mighty and wise; controls the times and the seasons; raises up and removes kings; gives wisdom and knowledge to those who seek and deserve them. He also reveals to mankind, like He did with Daniel, the portent of dreams and visions, of secret things, and knows what the darkness contains, like our plentiful, deep, dark deeds. (smile)
 
So what more can we ask eh? The Lord God Jehovah is Lord and God over all! Therefore He deserves constant and unending praise, but that’s something, we the Lord’s supposed followers are sadly lacking in at this current time. Oh I know that the world’s in a sorry state, and our lives lack the certainty they had just a few years ago, which makes us somewhat fearful and anxious. 
 
But my fellow believers that’s no reason for us to be more taken up with the things of the world – food, clothes, houses, jobs – than with the things of God, and thus cut down on our prayer and praise. Instead, it’s in the rough times that we most need to turn to God, cozy up to Him, not turn away, because He’s the ONE from whom all our help, all our blessings come. 
 
And please remember Jesus’ admonition from the Sermon on the Mount: ‘(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. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt.6:32-34)
 
Oh Friends, please, please, let’s take all of that to heart! It’s the best advice we can ever get. And to show our hope, trust, faith and surrender to Almighty God, let’s close with some appropriate praise from Psalm 135; The greatness of the Lord and the vanity of idols.
 
‘Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his particular (special) treasure. For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.’ (Ps.135:1-5)
 
And that, my fellow believers, is divine, gospel, undeniable, indisputable and any other truth there is! (smile) Much LOVE!
 
…Praise Him, praise Him…Glory Hallelujah…He is LOVE…He is LOVE…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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