Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 May 2024 Acts 20:35b.

24 May 2024 Leave a comment

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

Acts 20:35b.       It is more blessed to give than to receive.

So the short work week is over due to the Victoria Day holiday on Monday…and we’ve all joyfully shouted: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ All the while wondering why we couldn’t have a four day work week instead of a five day one. (smile) But even if that miraculously happened, we would still be grumpy and dissatisfied on the first work day of the week. Even if we had to work only one day a week, it would still seem like a big inconvenience, because we so LOVE to do what we want, when we want, and working to earn a living is not one of the things we enjoy doing. Many of us believe that because we exist, we are therefore entitled to the good life. Hn! 

But the long and short of the story is that if we don’t work we won’t eat, have shelter over our heads, or clothes on our backs. So this wishing to exist in a utopian dream of living high on the hog without working for it is just that, a utopian dream. (smile) And until we’ve been truly hungry, homeless, and without clothes, many of us will never appreciate the true benefits of having a job and working diligently at it, be it the much exalted C.E.O of the company or the lowly janitor. 

Now please, let’s wake up to the realities of this life which is daily getting harder and more frustrating with more people being thrown out of work every day due to no fault of theirs, just the pressures of the economic seesaw, and thus end up facing the unpalatable prospects of going hungry and possibly homeless. And it’s therefore the duty of those who have to help those who don’t. Why? Let’s remember these important words of Bruh Paul from Acts, when he was about to leave Ephesus to go to Jerusalem. 

‘And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yes, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto (provided for) my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:32-35) 

Yes my fellow believers, giving is a big part of our discipleship, be it the giving of our time, money or material goods, we ought to be generous givers, for as Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: ‘But as I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity (compulsion): for God LOVETH a cheerful (joyful) giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency  in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor. 9:6-8) 

Oh friends, our God is happy when we give generously from our hearts, and in return He then always causes us to have enough, both for ourselves and to share with others. Now having shown through scripture that giving is a large part of our duty as disciples, let’s see how it helps us emotionally. I believe these two commentaries ably explain the benefits of giving upon our own selves and souls. The first one says: ‘When we give, we demonstrate our trust in God in a tangible way. Hoarding resources demonstrates a trust in ourselves—we can take care of ourselves better than God can. Conversely, biblical generosity is an act of trust in God. We give our first and our best, trusting God will do as He says—provide for our needs.’ 

And the second tells us: ‘It is better to give than to receive because giving releases us from the isolation of self. To receive something is a privatized act. When we receive a gift from someone else—of money, goods, or even the gift of encouragement—we experience at minimum a sense of appreciation and often a time of great joy and comfort.’ So, giving and receiving show our trust in God, as well as lifts our spirits. And remember what God said through the prophet Malachi, about giving Him our tithes? 

‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’ (Mal. 3:10) That shows we should be most generous to God, with the first fruits of our labour. And in reality NOBODY is more generous that God. As James concurs in his epistle. ‘Do not err my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:16-18) 

Yuh see my fellow saints, the Lord created us to be an important creation, and is ever generous to us, especially when He sent Jesus into the world to sacrifice Himself so our sins could be paid for. Thus we also have the responsibility to be generous and faithful to Him and to those around us. And yes, times are tough, and it’s not always easy to live the way we ought, but we have the resources of heaven at our command, so let’s go there right now, through our Friday Chant and ask for help in these needful 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 though we can go to heaven for help, let’s never forget that that help will only come with our improved behaviour and faithfulness! Much LOVE!

…to give…to give…and yet to give…that should be our Christian motto…

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   27 May 2022   2 Corinthians 9:7b.

27 May 2022 Leave a comment

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

2 Corinthians 9:7b.      for God LOVETH a cheerful (joyful) giver.​

It’s a wet and cloudy Friday morning, but nonetheless the populace is still shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is finally here!’ That’s although most of them only had a four-day work week with the Victoria Day holiday on Monday past. But such is the nature of the human animal, that even if we only had to work two days, we’d still be proclaiming the end of the work week. (smile) 

And today the Lord has put it on my heart to talk about how He LOVES a cheerful giver. Bruh Paul said it in His second missive to the church at Corinth. ‘But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully (with blessings, generously). (2 Cor. 9:6) 

Yes friends, as the scholars tell us: ‘One’s return is determined by his investment.’ (Ref. Prov. 11:24, Luke 6:38, Gal. 6:7). While it does not suggest indiscriminate giving , it does denote “unrestrained” giving.’ Meaning that we don’t have to just give away everything we have, but we must give and it must be generously, with a pure and unadulterated heart. As Bruh Paul continues. ‘Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity (compulsion): for God LOVETH a cheerful (joyful) giver.’ (2 Cor. 9:7) 

And yes, my fellow saints, does our God ever LOVE a person who gives with a cheerful heart, because it reminds Him of Himself; of how He’s given to us so generously, right down to the sinless life of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Now the scholars explain that verse by stating that the ‘Cheerful giver: is to have a willing heart and a sincere desire to participate in the offering. Paul is not so much interested in their money. Nor is God for that matter, as the passage from Proverbs 22:9 indicates. Giving is not a joke. It is serious business, but it is a delightful experience all the same.’ 

And it surely is, for when you give with a generous and willing heart a spirit of thankfulness and satisfaction rises up in you, knowing that you have sincerely helped someone else, you’ve done what Christ commanded…LOVED your neighbour, at least to some small extent. Bruh Paul then explains why it’s so important to give and to give with a good heart. ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you: that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ (2 Cor. 9:8) 

In other words, when you give generously and with a willing heart, God, who’s the source of all things, will make sure that you are never lacking in anything, will bless you bountifully, and thus enable you to keep on doing good works in His mighty name! Like Jesus said in Luke 6:38. ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom (pocket). For with the same measure that ye mete (use) withal it shall be measured to you again.’ 

And that’s the living truth my people! However we give, whatever measure we use to give, the same measure will be used to give back to us. So, if we use a generous measure to give, then a generous measure will be used to return to us. And that’s just the way of God ‘s kingdom; you reap what you sow. As Bruh Paul plainly said to the Galatians. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ (Gal. 6:7) A lot of us foolishly think and believe otherwise though. We think we can sow evil or sparingly and yet reap a bountiful harvest of good. But those who think so will be in for a big surprise come the day of Jesus, if not before. 

And these two verses from Proverbs 22 admirably bring the right perception to the matter. ‘He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity (trouble): and the rod of his anger (wrath) shall fail (perish). He that hath a bountiful (generous) eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.’ (Prov. 22:8-9) Now it couldn’t get any clearer than that! But Cousin Sol tries hard to do so in Prov. 11:24-28. So please read it. That’s your homework for today, (smile) because I want us to go out with these magnificent verses from Bruh Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia, where He continues with the act of sowing and reaping. 

‘For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ ( Gal. 6:8) Yes my brethren, when we ‘conduct ourselves by the evil dictates and desires of our sinful nature, thus practicing the deeds of the flesh,’ of carnality, eventually we will be rewarded with eternal destruction. However, when we conduct ourselves with the enabling help of the Spirit, we’ll be rewarded with eternal life. ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (do not lose heart). (Gal. 6:9) 

It’s only a matter of time friends before we reap our sure reward, so please let’s not stop doing good, let’s not faint and lose heart. ‘As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’ (Gal. 6:10) Oh my people, let’s take those wise and wonderful words to heart today nuh, because it’s what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ desires of us, what He died to help us become; Christ-like saints, not evil sinners! So, let’s go to Him right now, through our Friday Chant, asking for His divine help, so we can be the kind of people of whom He’s proud. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

The next move is now up to us; to keep our promises so that the Lord can keep His. Much LOVE!

…you reap what you sow…more than you sow…and later than you sow…  (Uncle Charles – Dr. Charles Stanley) 

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