Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 March 2015 1 Corinthians 3:11‏‏‏

11 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

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

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

Well my people, it’s Wednesday, another brand new day on God’s wonderful earth! Wow! And all God’s appreciative children declared a loud and grateful: ‘Praise the Lord! Glory Hallelujah!’
 
Yes Friends, we need to be thankful for every new day we see, every breath of life that we breathe, for that means God still has something planned for us to accomplish, else He would have taken us home already.
 
So please don’t be lackadaisical and churlish about greeting each new day, please come to God in prayer and ask Him what are His plans for you on that particular day? Have no fear, if you don’t know, He will certainly inform you of what He desires, and like the wonderful God that He is, will then give you the wherewithal to perform His work successfully.
 
Oh my brethren, I can’t comprehend the magnitude and LOVING-kindness of our God, that’s why I keep reminding us of the wonderful Deity we serve and worship. There’s none other like Him!
 
And how could there ever be eh? No two all-powerful Beings like Him could ever survive in this world together. But fools like Lucifer and his evil minions try to usurp God’s power, unsuccessfully of course!
 
But what is it about power that drives us so crazy eh, that has us doing things that we won’t normally do? And what a lot of us don’t realize is that power for power’s sake is a complete waste of time. And also that with power comes responsibility; the more power, the more responsibility.
 
And that’s where the problems crop up; so often we don’t take seriously enough the responsibility that power brings, that’s why there’s so much corruption and bad decisions in the power bases of our society. Everybody wants power, but apparently just to use it for his or her own selfish purposes and aggrandizement, not for the benefit of the society or world in which they live.
 
But fortunately for us there is one with true power, who uses it selflessly, and for the benefit of all humankind. Yes my fellow believers, we’re talking about our most august Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! He had all power in heaven, but chose to give up that awesome power for a while and come to earth to help poor sinners like you and I get salvation and eternal life.
 
Now why can’t our fellow man do more good works with their earthly power eh, instead of using it for mainly evil and ungodly purposes? I guess that’s just the nature of the human animal. And truly, when most of us get power, especially if we’ve never had much power before, it goes to our head and we just seem to lose the ability for sensible thought and reasoning.
 
Ah Friends, right now the fight for power, for supremacy is proving to be the bane of our existence. Just look at all the people and groups that are jostling, vying and fighting for power in all walks of life. That’s why there are so many wars and rumours of war, so much hate, resentment, anger, selfishness and envy in our world. It’s all about power!
 
And I’m chuckling here Friends, because I don’t know how I ended up writing this treatise on power. (smile) That was never my intention at the beginning. But I guess that’s just where the Lord wanted me to venture.
 
In conclusion, I just want us all to realize the enormous responsibility that comes with power, and if you are a true believer and follower of Jesus Christ, then you are expected to use whatever power you have responsibly, and for the well being of your fellow man, ultimately to lead Him to Jesus, not merely for selfish purposes.
 
End of sermon! Just hope it didn’t or doesn’t fall on deaf ears. (smile)
 
Now here’s our Bit. And I believe today is the last day for it. ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ Words of awesome truth my people! And if it were not so, I would have told you. (smile)
 
But there are so many references to it in the Good Book that it has to be true. Let’s check out a couple of them, beginning with Bruh Paul’s message to the church at Rome.
 
When talking about the Jew and the gospel, he declares: ‘What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
 
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (put to shame).’ (Rom.9:30-33)
 
And here’s a word of explanation from the scholars. ‘9:32. They sought it not by faith: Israel mistook the possession of the law as a means of righteousness, when the law was given only to confirm the Fall and to show the need of God’s righteousness (cf. 5:20). Stumbling stone: This is a reference to Messiah (cf. Is.7:14; 1 Pet. 2:8).’
 
Now listen to Peter from Acts, when they were accosted by the chief priests and elders, the day after John and himself healed the blind man in Solomon’s porch at the temple. The Jewish rulers wanted to know by what name or power they had done the healing.
 
‘Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of (are judged for) the good deed done to the impotent (helpless) man, by what means he is made whole;
 
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
 
This is the stone which was set at nought of (rejected by) you builders, which is become the head of the corner (chief cornerstone). Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ (Acts 4:8-12)
 
Yes Friends, that’s indisputable truth! There is no other name under heaven by which mankind can be saved from his abominable sins!
 
And as the scholars note: ‘4:12. The name of Jesus Christ is the centre of contention (v. 7,10, 12) and ever will be. Salvation for Jew and Gentile alike is exclusively through the name of Jesus Christ. (John 14:6).’
 
Now let’s remember that as we go about doing Jesus’ work today my people, for it’s wisdom that will stand us in very good stead. Much LOVE!
 
…I am the way…the truth…and the life…no man cometh unto the Father…but by me…  (John 14:6)  
 
P.S. Oh Friends, the Bit’s late because I went to bed late and then had to get up early to do something else, and by the time I was finished, the brain still wasn’t in functioning mode, so I just went back to bed until it was ready to function. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 March 2015 Proverbs 24:1‏

07 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 24:1.      Be not thou envious against (of) evil men, neither desire to be with them.

Well Friends, it’s Saturday morning and the ole fella has a headache. Not a terrible one, but it’s been bothering me for the last couple of days and I just can’t figure out why. The fact of the matter is that I very seldom have headaches, so when I do have one, especially one that lasts more than a day, I get somewhat antsy and jittery, especially when I can’t pin point the reason for it.

But as I keep preaching (smile) them’s the breaks! The show must go on! Only death or some terrible disaster must stop the Bit from going out. And in keeping with that statement, I’ll share my Friend ANSELM’S QUOTE FOR THE DAY- Inspiring You For A Better Tomorrow. This one was from yesterday, and it says: ‘You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.’

And that my Friends is a statement which contains a substantial amount of truth , for generally speaking we don’t treat those who can’t help us in some form and fashion, as good as those whom we believe can be of use to us. And we see this in all walks of life. Look at the rich man; look at how he treats those not in his social class or status.

Too many of them treat the poor, or less wealthy than them as unimportant, and look down their noses at them. But in God’s eyes, the only difference is that one has wealth and the other doesn’t. And your wealth doesn’t automatically make you better than someone else.

The same goes for the well-educated professional, lawyer or doctor. A lot of them seem to think that because of their title and supposed exalted position in society, that they are the cat’s pajamas, and consider themselves better and more important than the normal run of the mill person.

But Friends, the real test of a man’s character is that though he might be better off in terms of wealth, education, power or social status, he still treats every human being with whom he comes into contact, like an important person, without the usual airs and graces too many of us put on.

And look at whom our Saviour Jesus Christ hung out with nuh during His earthly sojourn; the tax collectors, the known sinners and prostitutes, the lowest of the low, which made the uppity social classes scorn him for his choice of friends. But the fact of the matter my people is that we are all human beings, made in the image of our Creator, and there’s no good reason to look down on others less fortunate than us.

In fact, Jesus would expect us to lift that person to our level, treat them with the dignity that we all deserve, rather than demean them and treat them with contempt. So if any of us happens to fall into that category, please let’s work diligently and sincerely on changing it, or else the Lord in His good time, will certainly make us eat humble pie, and we definitely won’t like it. (smile)

And another piece of wonderful advice comes from our Bit: ‘Be not thou envious against (of) evil men, neither desire to be with them.’ For they are only interested in devising violence and causing trouble.

Now hear these supporting words from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked, which cautions us to avoid wickedness at all cost. ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. …

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devises (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:1-2, 7-9)

Words of absolute truth my people! Not hear says sentiments, but hard earned wisdom that Bruh David learned from hard personal experience.

And now hear Cousin Sol’s words of wisdom from his earlier writings on the subject. ‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it (do not travel on it), turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except (unless) they have done mischief (evil); and their sleep is taken away (they are robbed of it), unless they cause some to fall.

For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining (bright) light, that shineth more and more (ever brighter) unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.’ (Prov.4:14-19)

Ah Friends, words of inordinate wisdom there from Cousin Sol! No wonder he was considered the wisest man of his time! And unfortunately my people, nothing has changed between now and then…except perhaps the wicked have become more perverse and flagrant in their wickedness.

And we’ll end with these words of Bruh David from Psalm 26 – Examine me, O Lord, and prove me. ‘I have not sat with vain (idolatrous) persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers (hypocrites). I have hated the congregation of evildoers: and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass (go about) thine altar, O Lord: That I may publish (proclaim) with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.’ (Ps.26:4-7)

And that my brethren is how we ought to live this life; refuting wickedness and upholding righteousness, for that is indeed the zenith of wisdom and the only road to eternal life with Christ. Much LOVE!

…Christ does not condone sin, wickedness or evil…so if we want to spend eternity with Him…we can’t condone them either…