Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 June 2021 Matthew 6:33.

11 Jun 2021 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 6:33.      But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Well, a good Friday morning to all you blessed saints of Christ in the Scrip-Bit Family! May the Lord bless and guide us this fine day that He’s seen fit to grant us. And may we also enjoy it and do His bidding in earnest as we walk in peace and LOVE, and be excellent examples of His awesome grace and mercy, today, and every day that we draw breath! It’s so wonderful to know that as we live this earthly life that Jesus, our Lord and Saviour is looking out for us, every second, every minute, of every day! 

Oh my people, there’s not another caretaker in this world as wonderful as our Jesus! Wow! No wonder Bruh David could confidently say: ‘The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.’ Yes friends, with Jesus running our lives, there is no want for anything that’s necessary. But we need to give Him a reason to be so gracious to us, and we can best do that by surrendering our souls, our hearts, bodies and minds to Him, for He cannot do anything properly for us unless He has control. 

So it’s rather important that we remember His wise advice: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Yes my fellow saints, to get ALL that God has in store for us we must give Him total control of our lives, and then seek His will before anything else! That simply means He must have priority in our lives, be El Numero UNO! Number One! Nobody or nothing else must take precedence before or over Him, His will and word! 

Yes, it seems like a lot to ask of us, but in fact it’s very little, when compared with the many awesome and amazing benefits He provides to those who sincerely live for Him. Just think about what He’s already done for us nuh. He’s given us life for today, and for eternity if we accept His Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Now that alone is more than sufficient to earn our obedience! Unless you prefer to spend your next life in the burning fires of hell with that foolish demon Satan, who believed that he could overthrow the creator of the universe. 

And where did he end up eh? From being a powerful angel in heaven, he was kicked to the nether regions of the earth, to suffer a hellish existence. Is that the kind of life you desire? I certainly hope not. But just remember there are only two options on this subject, Jesus Christ and eternal life in heaven, or Satan and the damnation of hellfire! And if you don’t choose Jesus before your earthly body returns to the dirt from which it was made, then you will automatically be considered to have chosen the stoker of hell fires. 

That means you must make a conscious, definite decision to choose Jesus! Otherwise you are hell-bound! But enough of this hell stuff. (smile) I just want to give you one example of how our great God works, His wonders to perform. Remember Cousin Sol, when he ascended to his Father Bruh David’s throne, the Lord asked him what he desired, and instead of asking for health, wealth, long life and victory over his enemies, he beseeched God for wisdom and understanding to rule his people Israel. 

And that so warmed the cockles of God’s heart that He said to Cousin Sol. ‘Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour: so that there shall not be any (anyone) among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen (prolong) thy days.’ (1 Kin. 3:12-14) 

Yuh see friends, that’s the kind of deity we worship; abounding in grace, mercy, generosity and LOVE, especially if we truly seek Him and His will. The problem in today’s world is that too many of us expect to receive good without giving anything good. But friends, nothing in this world is free, somebody has to pay for whatever we receive at some stage of the game. We were set free from the bondage of sin, if we accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and consequently made righteous in the eyes of God, but that’s only because Jesus paid for that privilege with the sacrifice of His sinless life on the cross at Calvary. 

We’ve become such an evil, godless society, a world so entangled in the foolish belief of entitlement, that we can’t see the forest for the trees, can’t see what’s real from what’s false. Please, let’s lose that false sense of entitlement nuh, and realize that we only receive what we work for, what we sow. As Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) likes to say: ‘You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.’ And that’s the gospel truth friends. That principle extends to both God’s kingdom as well as Satan’s. 

So, if you want to get ahead in any of them, you need to sow plenty seeds, be they good or bad. End of story! Now, here we intend to sow good seeds, so we’ll go to the Leader who specializes in sowing good seeds, Almighty God, and we’ll lay our problems before Him and ask for His divine, supernatural help. That means it’s time for our Friday Chant. 

As one strong and sincere voice, fulling believing that our requests will be granted: ‘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 the racial strife is 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!’  

And now friends, the only thing standing between us and a positive answer from God, is that example of faithful believers we just promised to set. Much LOVE!…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…                                                                    

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 May 2020 Genesis 28:20.

03 May 2020 Leave a comment

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

​Genesis 28:20.    ​If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God:

 

Come Sunday morning, my fellow saints and I, will gather together for sweet fellowship, around our electronic devices, to sing and praise and thank and exalt our wonderful God, for all that He’s done for us! Oh for sure, no social distancing and locking of sanctuary doors will stop us from worshipping Him on His day with singing and dancing, hearing His Word, and receiving His joy, confidence and assurance to help us get through another week of pandemic panic! 

So let’s get going with a song of worship, most appropriate to these times nuh, a song written by Sarah Flowers in the 19th century, titled ‘Nearer My God to Thee.’ And do we all ever need to draw close and closer to our Creator and Provider my people! Our lives have become so sinful, haphazard and disobedient that it’s only by drawing closer to Him that we can ever get them cleaned up and set right again. So with true sincerity in our hearts, let’s raise our voices in sacrificial song, soulful and sweet. 

‘Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me, Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, Darkness be over me, my rest a stone; Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n; All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n; Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! 

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise, Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise; So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky, Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly, Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest, There in my Savior’s LOVE, perfectly blest; Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!’ 

Oh friends, our singing was most excellent, let’s hope that the Lord saw genuine sincerity when He looked at our hearts. Yes precious people, we need the One and Only True Living God, every minute of every day, whether we’re down here on earth or in heaven above. One commentary put’s it this way: ‘Even when we cannot see or feel Him, the Lord never leaves our side. As we walk through each day, let us remember to call upon His name and give Him thanks. The beautiful lyrics of ‘Nearer My God to Thee’ are the perfect call to the Lord.’ And are they ever my friends! 

And someone also noted the irony that in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, as the British Passenger Liner, the Titanic was sinking, the bandleader chose to play ‘Nearer My God to Thee.’ The irony comes from the earlier boast of the ship owners and builders that the Titanic was a ship that ‘even God Himself could not sink.’ But as they were going under, God’s Spirit moved miraculously to turn their thoughts to Him, their Creator and Saviour. It was reputed that the song was written to accompany a pastor’s sermon on Genesis 28:11-19, generally known as the story of Jacob’s ladder, or dream. 

The Good Book tells us that Isaac sent Jacob to Padan-aram from his home in Canaan to marry one of his uncle Laban’s daughters because he didn’t want him marrying a Canaanite woman. One night along the way, he slept in a certain deserted place and had a dream, as of a ladder going up from earth to heaven, with angels of God ascending and descending it. ‘And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed (descendants). And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ (Gen. 28:13-14) 

Oh friends, doesn’t that sound mighty familiar? It surely does, because it was the same basic promise the Lord made to Abraham back in Genesis 12. And out of the seed of Jacob, the Lord’s promise to Abraham would begin to come true, after He changed His name to Israel, the father of many nations, through the twelve tribes of Israel. But the Lord didn’t stop there in Jacob’s dream, He continued: ‘And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee; until I have done that which I have spoken to thee.’ (Gen 28:15) 

No wonder Jacob was so blessed. But yuh see who the Lord used to bring Abraham’s dream to pass; Jacob, the ole crook and con man. Just goes to show that the Lord is no respecter of people, and will use the most unexpected people to do His bidding. Obviously Jacob awoke afraid, and said: ‘Surely, the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.’ (Gen. 28:15) Then when he got up, he took the stone he’d used for his pillow, set it up for a pillar, poured oil upon it, and called the place Bethel (House of God), although it was already named Luz. 

Then he vowed a vow saying, ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth (a tithe) unto thee.’ (Gen. 28:16-22) And apparently the Lord kept His promise to Jacob, and Jacob kept His vow to God. 

But my people, how many of us have vowed vows to God, made promises that we’ve never kept eh; either when He’s blessed us, or when we’ve asked Him for blessings? Too many, I suspect. But please remember these wise words of Cousin Sol: ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5) That’s wisdom in spades! Much LOVE!

…He who has ears to hear…let him hear…