Today’s Scrip-Bit   19 January 2024 Matthew 9:29.

19 Jan 2024 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 9:29.       According to your faith be it unto you.

And then it was a cold, cloudy Friday, but there were still shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ I guess we don’t much care what kind of weather we have on a Friday, because it means that the weekend is here and we can do whatever we want. No more of the getting up early, carting the children to the baby-sitter or to school, then facing the rush hour traffic jam to and from work. What a terrible grind our work week can be, especially if you have young children and you’re living far from work. But that’s just the way the society is set up, and you have to grin and bear it, and make it work somehow for you. 

I certainly remember the days, some forty odd years ago, carting my eldest daughter to the baby sitter and picking her up again every night. And that was long before you had all the helpful amenities, you now have. (smile) But that’s exactly why you need Jesus in your life! He helps you bear the tough burdens of everyday life, with a modicum of peace and circumspection. With Jesus running the show, you’re never as worried and frazzled as you are without Him. And these two promises of His are very important in our everyday lives. We know them fairly well, but we just can’t seem to put them into action, so that our pain can be eased. 

The first one says: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) And yes, it’s very easy to say the words, and even believe them, but it’s not as easy to put them into serious action, especially in today’s crazy and volatile world, for there’s always an element of doubt, or some niggling circumstance that gets in the way. But we just have to hang in there and do the best we can, not give up, and keep fighting the good fight with Jesus. 

Then there’s this other promise along the same lines. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Ah friends, although we might know deep down that Jesus has overcome the world by dying and being resurrected, therefore defeating Satan, hell, death and the grave, it’s indeed difficult to be peaceful and of good cheer when all the problems of the world seem like they are tumbling down around you. And to further help us in our earthly battle, we need to take Bruh Paul’s advice to the Philippians. 

He writes: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.’ (Phil. 4:6) Yes my brethren, that is the basic pattern our lives must follow if we are to experience some sense of peace and comfort in our daily lives. Prayer with thanksgiving is oh so essential. And we know that giving thanks under some of the situations we face is extremely difficult, and sometimes we even feel it impossible. However, that’s the only way to get what Bruh Paul promised. ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) 

Now those aren’t easy scriptures to live by; not to worry about anything, but to pray constantly and give thanks even in untenable situations. But do it we must, by writing them indelibly in our hearts, minds and souls, then asking the Holy Spirit for His help to action them. That’s one of His many purposes in our lives; help to live the life Christ desires of us. But there again, we need to sincerely engage the Holy Spirit’s help, and then listen to what he says. And that’s where we’re not as obedient as we ought to. 

With all the many distractions and voices flurrying around in our minds, we ofttimes miss the still, soft voice of the Holy Spirit, especially when our decision is contrary to His. And the devil just LOVES to get into our brain, our minds, where spiritual war is constantly being waged, and disrupt the peace and joy we are fighting to attain. And that’s where our levels of faith and trust in Jesus come in. It’s like Jesus’ interaction with two blind men who followed Him, ‘crying and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.’ (Matt. 9:27-29) 

Now that last sentence is the answer to many of our problems. Yes friends, it’s according to our trust and confidence in Christ’s ability to do whatever we ask Him, that we will see positive outcomes. It’s our faith, not God’s, that determines our outcomes in life. It has everything to do with what we truly believe. And for those of us who truly believe in the omnipotent power of Christ, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant, asking for divine help to handle our many earthly problems. 

Altogether now: ‘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 if we expect to see divine help, then we need to do what we said in our prayer, that’s stand strong and steadfast as best we can, and also set a good example as faithful believers. Much LOVE!

… the size of our problems that Jesus can solve…depends on the size of our faith in Him… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   29 November 2023 Philippians 4:6.

29 Nov 2023 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:6.       Be careful  (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And then it was Wednesday, the mid-week workday when we are supposed to catch our second wind and move on down to the end Friday with improved enthusiasm and excellence. (smile) Unfortunately, I don’t know if it actually works that way, because from my own experience, I’ve found that you get more tired as the week winds down. But it’s always nice to have something to fall back on to liven up our days, give us a reason to go on. (smile) 

Now, let me apologize for the lateness of the Bit, but I had to go out the street early this morning and do some time sensitive errands, and by the time I got back from running around in the cold, cloudy, windy morning with the occasional snow flurries floating down from on high, hunger, thirst and tiredness and taken over my ole body, so I had to satisfy those needs before I could do a worthwhile Bit. (smile) 

And today we’re going to get into this most appropriate poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin, aptly titled ‘What’s Myself doing to Myself?’ And that’s surely a good question for many of us to be asking ourselves in these trying and difficult times. 

So please read with me: ‘With childish intensity she asked “What’s myself doing to myself?” I couldn’t help but smile As she stood before the mirror Struggling so impatiently With a stubborn jacket zipper. But I’m not smiling now, Lord As I pass my own mirror and glance at the tension Etching my sombre face. I’m frightened, Lord. Her innocent question clutches me. “What’s myself doing to myself?” Frustrated, frantic So often breathless Too many irons in the fire…

What am I doing to my body – To my mind, my emotions? What am I doing to my family? What am I doing to Your Plan For my personal fulfillment? Why do I live like this, Lord As though Your world Couldn’t exist without me? Why do I so often Tear myself from Your control? Dear Lord, calm me. Pull me off the merry-go-round Of converging conflicts. Give balance to my boggled mind. This very hour, Lord Infuse me with Your poise and power Until my total self Is submerged in You – Yourself. Only then will I be free To be myself.’ 

Wow! What very appropriate but encouraging words! Yes friends, many of us are doing harm to ourselves, physically, emotionally and spiritually, trying to live up to the all the conflicting convergences that are engulfing our lives. And when we do stop and think about it, we realize that we can’t fix them all, if any. And furthermore, the only way to find peace in our daily struggles is by turning back to Almighty God and surrendering our all to Him. Placing all the conflicts in His hands, while receiving His grace and mercy to go about our many tough tasks in peace and contentment. 

Now, that’s not always easy to do either, especially when the many distractions of this ungodly world are constantly bombarding us from all directions, and the bills, the rent-man and whoever else is breathing down our necks for what we owe them. No my bredrin, these are not easy times to navigate, especially on our own, but we’re so blessed to have the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, our Comforter, our Go-to -Guy, whom we can count on to help us in our troubles. However, if we desire His awesome help, we have to be confident and faithful enough to give ourselves and our troubles over to Him. 

As the poem so rightly expresses: ‘This very hour, Lord Infuse me with Your poise and power Until my total self Is submerged in You – Yourself. Only then will I be free to be myself.’ Yes my fellow believers, if we sincerely ask the Lord for His poise and power, He will give it to us, fill us with His Holy Spirit that will allow us to be free to be ourselves once again, and not totally distracted and confuffled by the many headed dragons that the world is constantly sending against us. It’s the only way to win the battle against Satan and his evil doers. 

And yes, the theory is very sound, but how does one go about it practically? Well the Bible Promise for today’s poem gives us some idea of how to do it. They are words of encouragement written long ago by Bruh Paul to the Philippians, but words which are still filled with strength and encouragement for today. He wrote: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:6-7) 

And that sounds oh so easy, but like everything else, it takes practice. The more often you do it, the easier it becomes. And when the world is coming at you, it’s not so easy not to worry, but please remember that He that is in You, the Lord Jesus Christ, is greater than he that’s in the world, Satan. (1 John 4:4) And that’s the awesome truth! But you have to believe it and then put it into action by humbling yourself and casting all your care on Christ. Peter says it quiet nicely: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-7) 

Now there’s the magical or miracle words my brethren: the Lord cares for us! And since He cares, He will not allow us to suffer more than we need to, if we bring all of our troubles to Him in a humble and sincere manner. And if you don’t believe Bruh Paul, John, Peter, or me,  mayhap you’ll believe Jesus when He tells you: 

‘Wherefore, if God so clothe (clothes) the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought (don’t worry), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles (unbelievers) seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; ad all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:30-33) 

Now, let’s hope that you believed Jesus! (smile) But for those of us who do, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus! Altogether 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!’ 

And we’ve also been promised that if we endure right to the very end with Jesus, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ever ask or imagine. So let’s plan to mee there nuh! Much LOVE!

…only in Jesus Christ…can the answers to our problems be found… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   31 October 2023 Philippians 4:6.

31 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:6.       Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

Prologue: Let me apologize for the lateness of the Bit right up front. I had a doctor’s appointment earlier this morning and you know how it is with them; you spend more time waiting than anything else. Nonetheless, I think it’s a good Bit. (smile) 

And after Monday comes Tuesday…as naturally as the day follows the night. (smile) And this Tuesday, the last day in October is bright and sunshiny in my area, though somewhat chilly, for there was frost on the cars this morning. But more importantly, for the world and it’s economic masters is that today is also Halloween day, when the world shamelessly flaunts the things of the occult, with li’l children the basis of their mockery, invoking fearful and scary foolishness, as they make oodles of money from the nonsense they promote. 

What a world eh! When we’re so badly in need of God’s help with our many serious problems, we foolishly keep up with this Satanic tradition, all in the name of the mighty dollar! Personally, I’ve never seen the fun in children dressing up in scary costumes and scampering around in the night to their neighbours’ houses begging for stuff, especially candy, which every day you hear in the ads is no good for you. This is the happiest time of the year for the dentists’ because they know in another couple of months children will be flocking to them with candy infused teeth problems. 

And if we insist on dealing with, cherishing and encouraging dark and occult stuff, even the scary movies are doing big business these days, what’s the purpose of this scripture then? ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind. (2 Tim. 1:7) Then, afterwards, when a real challenge comes against us, we can’t handle it, because we’re too scared, we’re filled with fear, rather than faith. To help us with all our weak and fearful moments though, here’s a prayer from Bubba Joel (Joel Osteen) that will enable us to keep God first place in our lives. 

Please pray with me: ‘God, please give me the grace to accept Your timing. I will enjoy this day because You have me in the palm of Your hand. No circumstance or problem can keep me from the joy You have for me. Even though it seems I may have good reason to worry or live upset, I’m going to keep my eyes on You. I know that the enemy would LOVE for me to never get my hopes up, to think that it’s always going to be this way, to just drag through the day. But my heart is stayed on hope in You. I’m going to set my thoughts higher, championing You in this moment and throughout the day. I will choose to be happy. I will choose to focus on the goodness of God. Nothing is going to override my joy in the Lord, now, or in the days to come, in Jesus’ name. Amen!’ 

Yes friends, that’s the kind of desire and passion we need to hold on to each and every day. Choose to be happy, choose to focus on God’s goodness and fill our lives with the joy of the Lord, which is our strength! (Neh. 8:10) It’s all a matter of choice…our choice. We can either choose to focus on God and His goodness or the fiery trials and tribulations of this evil and wicked world! The choice is ours! No one else’s! So, if you choose to focus on your tough circumstances instead of God’s goodness, then that’s foolishly your fault.  For throughout all the Bible, we have been encouraged to not fear, to not worry, just give it all to God. And these two scriptures are the epitome of that wonderful and wise advice. 

First off is this scripture from Bruh Paul’s letter to the Philippians. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:4-7) 

Oh my faithful brethren, that hits the nail right on its proverbial head! Don’t worry or be concerned about anything, especially if you can’t do anything about it in your own strength. Turn it over to the Lord though prayer and thanksgiving and that wonderful peace of God, which surpasses all of man’s understanding will calm your souls and spirits. It’s that peace that Jesus bequeathed unto us, when He said: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) And later on He again gives us His marvellous peace, when He tells the disciples: ‘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) And if you have sufficient faith to believe in Jesus and His faithful promises, then the cares of this world won’t trouble you unduly. 

Then there’s also this amazing and encouraging scripture of putting one’s cares and lives in the hands of Jehovah God. Listen to Peter tell it: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion , walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-11) 

Now friends, let’s pay close attention to those scriptures because the world is getting more evil and troubled each day, and we will only be able to handle it with God’s divine help! Now for those of us who are doing our best to stand steadfast and strong, let’s declare (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now, let’s go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…the only place to find true peace…is with Jesus… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 May 2023 Philippians 4:13.

16 May 2023 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:13.        I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

Well, like it’s apparently going to be another warm, dry and sunshiny day. I’ve lost count of how many of them we’ve had in a row now, but it sure does feel as though we need a li’l rain to parch the earth’s thirst. And I can tell that’s the case because the duchess has started to water her lawn.(smile) So Lord, please send a li’l rain to ease up on the summer water bill. 

Brother, what a life we live! During the summer it’s the water bill that drives us crazy, constantly watering the little patch of grass we so foppishly call a lawn, while at Christmas, it’s the electricity bill, with all the lights we have going on. And during the rest of the year, there’s always some bill that comes unexpectedly, or comes in so high that we get rather anxious over paying it. But that’s the way the enemy has our society programmed; to keep us in constant debt and fear. It’s all about bills: we live to pay our bills. 

I think the deceased Soca maestro, Arrow, put it best, when he sang: ‘So much bills to pay, man can’t see their way. As yuh done pay one, ah next bill come. Bills, bills, every day. Bills, bills, man can’t pay. Water bill to pay, light bill to pay, grocery bill to pay, pickney bill to pay. Wo-yo-yo, wo-yo-yo ah going crazy, House rent to pay, doctor bill to pay, gas bill to pay, phone bill to pay. Salary man get, can’t pay their debts, pay and pay for years, still yuh owe arrears. 

Bills, bills, every day. Child support to pay, income tax to pay, transport to pay, alimony to pay…Wo-yo-yo, wo-yo-yo ah going crazy, so much bills to pay. Mortgage to pay, insurance to pay, credit cards to pay, laundry bills to pay. Bills like a cancer, a money killer. No use complain, pay the bill again. Bills, bills every day, bills, bills man can’t pay. Wo yo-yo, wo-yo-yo, ah going crazy, wo-yo-yo, wo-yo-yo, ah going crazy.’ 

Yes my brethren, the endless bill paying is certainly driving a major portion of our society crazy, because they fret and worry about paying the constant stream of bills which have deadlines to pay them, and serious consequences if they are not paid. And please note that Arrow sang that song at least twenty years ago, and if it was that bad then, can you imagine how much worse it is today with the overwhelming materialism prevalent in our current society, where it’s only normal, in fact, we’re encouraged to buy things on credit, things that we don’t need and certainly cannot afford. 

Then you’re held in the debt trap forever, and the creditors have you in a chokehold that’s almost impossible to break free from. But please notice I said, almost impossible, because if you have Jesus living in you and running your life, then any and everything is possible, so you will either not fall into that debt trap, or if you have already fallen, He will be able to help you extricate yourself from it. But two basic things are necessary for that to happen, you must allow Jesus to control things, and you must stop getting yourself into unnecessary debt. 

Obviously, it won’t be easy, but with patience and perseverance under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to get out of the debt trap. And the first practical move is to get yourself under control. Stop the fretting and worrying, for that will only cause more harm than good and it certainly won’t get you out of your predicament. So, like Bruh Paul advised in his letter to the Philippians: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God.’ (Phil. 4:6) 

Yes friends, that’s always the first move in any situation; stop worrying and take it all to God in prayer. Unfortunately though, we sing and talk about it a lot, but don’t truly put it into practice. Like we forget about it when the problems arise. But we need to take those problems to our heavenly Father, for it’s the only way to acquire ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, and which shall keep and guard our hearts through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7) 

And we definitely need the peace of God flowing through us, if we’re to wisely consider how to successfully extricate ourselves from untenable situations. You cannot do that if you’re all uptight, afraid and worried. And along the way, you need to keep your spirit boosted with a couple of very important and necessary scriptures, which we all know and sometimes use, but not as sincerely as we ought to. The first one is ‘I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.’ (Phil. 4:13). And the other is like unto it. (smile) ‘But my God shall supply ALL my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19) 

Oh my people, those two scriptures sustained Bruh Paul through some of his roughest times, and if they could sustain him, then they can definitely sustain us too. But we have to believe them truly and sincerely and then live as though they are true, and they will eventually become true. In God’s kingdom we don’t believe when we see, but we believe before we see. That’s because of the faith, trust and hope we have in the power of our wonderful, gracious, merciful and ever-LOVING God! 

And now, here are a few supplementary scriptures to back up those primary ones. As per the first one, remember these true and telling words of Jesus. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 5:15) That’s something we ought always to remember: without Jesus we’re mostly useless. Then there’s this verse from Bruh Paul in his second letter to then church at Corinth. ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency (adequacy, abundance) in all things, may abound to every good work.’  (2 Cor. 9:8) 

In other words, God will always give you all you need to do His work. ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of our selves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) Oh my people, please listen to this commentary on that verse. ‘The adequacy of the provisions of the Lord God Almighty can never be exhausted or run dry. He is the God who is more than enough to adequately handle all the needs of all His creatures without running short of supply.’ Yes, for certain sure, He is the God of not just enough, but of more than enough. And until we truly believe that, we will always be in need. 

And we’ll end with this simple, well-known, but ever so amazing and true scripture. ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) It’s never been said better than that my fellow saints! Now, for those of us who try to live by it, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now, let’s go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with those we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE him like we do! Much LOVE!

…only by living for Jesus…can we fulfill our destiny… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   8 November 2022   1 Thessalonians 5:19.

08 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

1 Thessalonians 5:19.       Quench not the Spirit.

Oh Brother, I can’t believe it’s already the 8th day of November nuh! We just celebrated Halloween a few days ago at the end of October. What’s happening with these months eh? They are flying by so quickly, that you hardly have time to really notice and enjoy them. (smile) But in my neck of the words, we really can’t complain because the days have been very warm and sunny considering the time of the year. Let’s just hope that when the real winter season drops down on us, the days fly as quickly. Don’t hold your breath for that though. (smile) 

However, the good thing about being a follower of Jesus Christ is that we don’t have to worry about anything, whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall, because He ALWAYS has our backs, even in the greatest storm of our lives, our Lord and Saviour is ALWAYS there to guide and protect, to lead and bring us safely through our trials and tribulations! Wow! What a wonderful Lord and Saviour we serve and worship! 

And all God’s children gave a large, long, and grateful shout of ‘Thank You Jesus! We LOVE you with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds! Without You we are nothing! Please keep looking out for us, as we will keep LOVING and coming to You for Your awesome grace and mercy!’ 

Mama Mia! I have to laugh yes, because that prayer wasn’t planned, but somehow or the other it just kept flowing from my fingers. No doubt the work of the Holy Spirit, sensing our need for some prayer with praise and thanksgiving in these turbulent and perilous times of our world. And yes, there’s no better way of communing with our great God than through prayer, praise and thanksgiving. That’s why Bruh Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit.’ (1 Thess. 5:16-19) 

Yes my fellow believers, life with Jesus is all about rejoicing, praying, giving thanks and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us the way He is supposed to. Most of today’s teachers and preachers don’t pay much attention to the last verse about quenching the Holy Spirit, but it’s very important since it’s through the third person of the Holy Trinity, that we are led and guided to the Lord’s will. 

And the scholars explain that last verse thus. ‘Quench means putting out the fire in Matthew 12:20. Ephesians 6:16, and Hebrews 11:34. Here it is employed metaphorically to mean “stifle” or “suppress.” The Christian can stifle the Holy Spirit’s workings by hindering Him from leading the believer to rejoice (vs.16), to pray (vs.17), to give thanks in adversity (vs. 18), and by despising prophetic utterance (vs. 20) inspired by the Holy Spirit.’ 

And sadly, that’s what many of us do my fellow saints; we quench the Holy Spirit by not listening to His divine guidance, by going our own way, or the way the enemy lies and deceives us into going. That’s why so many of us are leading such troubled lives, inwardly we’re not in sync with the Holy Spirit of God, despite our outward Christian behaviour. 

Unfortunately though, we, the individual believers, are the ONLY ones who can correct that unwise behaviour. Others can talk to us about it, but unless and until we seriously and consciously choose to change it, then we’ll keep on losing the divine blessings and leadings of God’s great Spirit that dwells within us for that very purpose. And the only way to get us to wise up and do what we know we ought to do, is to keep bombarding us with scriptures on the subject. (smile) 

So here goes, with Bruh Paul’s words to the Philippians. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.. Be careful (anxious) for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. 

Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest (noble), whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are LOVELY, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise (anything praiseworthy), think (meditate) on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.’ (Phil. 4:4-9) 

Hope that stirred up our souls and spirits some. But we’re not done yet. Remember we’re bombarding. (smile) So listen to Bruh Paul to the Colossians on the subject of Christian virtues. ‘Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels of mercies (tender mercies), kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; Forbearing (bearing with) one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 

And above all these things put on charity (LOVE), which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him’ (Col. 3:12-17) 

Now that’s enough bombardment for today! And if it doesn’t rile up our spirits to do better, then I don’t know what else to say or do. (smile) Oh, upon further thought, I’ll just try to emphasize these two things. First, the putting on of charity or LOVE, the bond of perfectness.’ Meaning that ‘LOVE is the crowning grace completing the list of virtues required for perfectness or spiritual maturity. As a “bond” it binds all other virtues together in harmony and unity.’ And remember Bruh Paul’s famous words to the Corinthians: ‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity (LOVE), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor. 13:13) 

Then, the second thing I want to emphasize is that EVERYTHING we do, we should try to do in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in glory to the Father. If we do those two things; live in LOVE, and do all in the name of Jesus, meaning what pleases Him, then I think we will do great things here on earth, live up to our Christian heritage. 

Now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (yeahhh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having said that, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share the awesome LOVE and friendship of Christ with all those we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…to LOVE and serve like Christ…that’s the Christian motto… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ   

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 October 2022 Philippians 4:6.

10 Oct 2022 Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:6.       Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.​

It’s Monday friends…but Thanksgiving Monday! That means most of us don’t have to face the stress and strain of the bustling early morning hours and the endless traffic jams to go to work. And most of God’s children said a loud and grateful, ‘Thank the Lord!’ And I guess on Thanksgiving Day, that’s a most appropriate response. (smile) But what about the other aspects of our lives eh, are we thankful for those; do we offer up thanks for them to our heavenly Father, and if we do, are they sincere, or are we merely paying lip service? 

And did we give even a li’l thanks when we opened our eyes this morning for just being alive? Do we give thanks when we manage the snarled traffic and finally get to work safely? And do we give thanks when we reverse course and get home all in one piece? And what about when our children get home safe from school? Ah friends, it’s the giving of thanks for those seemingly li’l and unimportant things that separate the sheep from the goats, the true believers from the hypocrites. Remember the Lord reads the motives of our hearts before He considers the words of our mouths, and if the former isn’t right, then He won’t even acknowledge the latter. 

And please note that thanksgiving isn’t meant to be a one day a year business, but a continuing daily activity. Today is just the day we put it in a colourful box, tie it up with a pink ribbon, add a big bow, and do a big celebration. But every day of our lives ought to be a day of thanksgiving, from the moment we awaken in the morning till we put our heads back on the pillow at night. That’s because there are so many things during each day for us to be thankful for, and there’s nothing the Lord appreciates more than a simple ‘Thank You Lord,’ when we see His marvellous and miraculous hand at work in our lives. 

The problem though is that we are usually too busy trying to fix our troubles to notice God’s hand at work, and even if we do, we usually take it for granted. Yesterday we said that counting our blessings is the best way to understand the blessed life we truly live, since our blessings usually outweigh our problems by many to one. But taking too much stock of our few problems distracts us from the gratitude for our many blessings. And my fellow believers, the giving of sincere thanks throughout our earthly journey is oh so important that we cannot afford to forget or disregard it. 

So, in keeping with this celebration of thanksgiving, like we did yesterday, let’s get a few reminders on the continual giving of thanks from the many scriptures that have been so blessedly bequeathed to us. They are so plentiful that we can spend a whole lifetime and not cover them all. (smile) Let’s open with Psalm 100 – a call to praise the Lord, a psalm of praise or thanksgiving. 

Please read with me. ‘Make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto the Lord, all ye lands (all the earth). Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:1-5) Now that tells it like it is friends! The Lord made us, we are his people, and in proper reverence to His majesty, sovereignty and goodness to us, we ought to give him much thanks and praise. 

And then there’s this song from Isaiah re Thanksgiving for God’s mercies. Let’s read together again. ‘And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedest me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings (mighty deeds) among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.’ (Is. 12:1-6) 

Oh my people, what beautiful sentiments! The Lord Jehovah is our salvation, our strength, our comforter and has done mighty deeds on our behalf! Thus, He is entitled to much praise and thanks. And then we have these most encouraging and enlightening words from Bruh Paul to the church at Philippi, as he talks about rejoicing in the Lord. Read with me. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:4-7) 

Yes, my fellow saints, when we lean upon our great God through prayer and thanksgiving when we do His will, He blesses us with divine grace and mercy, and a peace that cannot be found anywhere else. For all His goodness and mercy to us, we therefore ought to be continually shouting His praise and giving Him thanks of the highest nature. And since it all begins with prayer, let’s do just that nuh, go to God in prayer, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and pour out our hearts to Him. 

As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’

 On this Thanksgiving Day of 2022, let’s then be aware of the prayer we just offered up to our great God, and if we truly want a positive response, let’s wisely bring our lives into compliance with it and party sensibly, (smile) for tomorrow is work, and as Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) warns, we have to look our best, do our best and be our best for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because that’s what He expects of His followers. Much LOVE!

…the giving of continual sincere thanks to our Creator…is the mark of a true believer… 

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

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 July 2022 John 16:33b.

12 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

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

John 16:33b.      In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.

Good, ole reliable Tuesday is here friends! Yes, it takes away the memory of Monday, the first day of the work week, which is usually somewhat mysterious and unsettling, or even intimidating, because we’re never sure what it will bring after a weekend away from the halls of labour. (smile) But Tuesday is always placid and calm, letting us know that there’s nothing to fear; Monday is in the box, and all’s well with our world! 

And that’s exactly how our lives become when we accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour! There’s nothing to fear…and even if the world is actually falling apart around us, we’d still be able to say, ‘all is well with me. All is well with my soul!’ Why? Because Jesus has promised us peace, joy, LOVE and eternal life if we are wise and live under the shadow of His wings. Listen to some of His awesome promises nuh. 

While speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit, He told the disciples: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) And later on, Jesus again encourages the disciples by telling them: ‘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 my fellow believers, how encouraging and reassuring is that eh? Knowing that your Lord and Saviour has overcome the world, destroyed the enemy and has in His hands the keys to hell, death and the grave, it surely is a comfort to the most unbelieving and discouraged heart! And then Bruh Paul offers his two cents worth when he writes to the church at Philippi: ‘Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:7) 

What a legacy we have through Christ my people! We’ll receive the peace of God, that divine tranquility that transcends all human understanding, when through prayer and thanksgiving we take all our problems to Almighty God in Christ’s name! You could not do any better than that friends! That’s the ultimate in peace! 

And as per joy, the Good Book tells us that the ‘joy of the Lord is our strength.’ (Neh. 8:10) That’s why the enemy always tries to steal our joy. He knows that if we lose it, we’ll be weak and easily defeated. However, it’s also important to note that joy doesn’t depend on our circumstances, it depends on our faith in God. Happiness is the fleeting emotion that’s ruled by our circumstances. 

And I like how this commentator on the biblestudytools.com website puts it. ‘Bible verses about joy can help Christians who may be going through a difficult season as a reminder of calm happiness through faith in God. Joy is rooted in who God is. It is not fleeting or based on circumstances. Worldly possessions, accomplishments, even the people in our lives, are blessings that make us happy and fuel joyfulness. However, the Bible teaches that the source of all joy is Jesus. God’s plan from the beginning, the Word made flesh to dwell among us is rock solid, allowing us to navigate difficult situations in the absence of happiness while sustaining our joy.’ 

Oh friends, what joy is found in Jesus! As Jesus told the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy shall be full.’ (John 15:11) And as Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Rome. ‘Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom. 15:13) 

Then Jesus, after telling the disciples about His return to heaven: ‘A little while, ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.’ (John 16:16) He saw their sorrowful look, indicating a lack of understanding, and reassured them. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.’ (John 16:20) 

Then He compared their situation to a pregnant woman afraid of the upcoming labour pains, but once it’s over, she no longer remembers the pain but is filled with joy that a child was born. ‘And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you…Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.’ (John 16:22, 24) 

Oh what a wonderful Lord and Saviour we have my brethren! He fills our lives with joy despite our circumstances, and we can ask the Father for anything in His name. Now that doesn’t mean we’ll always get what we ask for, especially if it is not in the Father’s will for our lives, or we’ll get it when we ask for it, but we are always assured of a hearing in heaven. That’s indeed a good beginning.

And when we start talking about LOVE and Jesus…well friends, there’s nothing greater, because they are one and the same! John says it plainly: ‘For God is LOVE.’ (1 John 4:8) And if the Father is LOVE, then the Son must be LOVE too. And there are numerous passages of scripture extolling Christ’s LOVE, but I think this one from John’s gospel puts it all in proper perspective. 

‘As the Father hath LOVED me, so have I LOVED you: continue ye (abide) in my LOVE. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my LOVE; even as I have kept the Father’s commandments , and abide in his LOVE… This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you. Greater LOVE hath no man this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained (appointed) you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain… These things I command you, that ye LOVE one another.’ (John 15:9-10, 12-17) It couldn’t get any clearer than that my people. LOVE is the number ONE requirement amongst Christ’s followers. As John said: ‘He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE.’ (1 John 3:8) 

Now, as per eternal life, since time and space are running out on us, we can only get in these two verses on the subject. However, they are more than enough to prove the point. We all know this magnificent verse: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) And then there’s this verse where John the Baptist testifies of Jesus. ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth (remains) on him.’ (John 3:36) That says it all friends: believe and you’ll see eternal life; do not believe, and you’ll perish under God’s wrath. 

Now for those of us who believe and are doing our best to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (ah Lord eh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

And having made that declaration, (yesss!!!) it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do. Much LOVE!

…need a continual flow of LOVE, joy and peace that ends in eternal life …then Jesus is your answer…the ONLY answer… 

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

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